Cards get back on track

Tyrone White and Zach Peterson led the way as North Idaho College got back on the winning track with a 98-72 men’s basketball victory over Camosun College in Christianson Gymnasium in Coeur d’Alene on Friday.

After winning its first 13 games, NIC stumbled on the road in its first two Scenic West Games three weeks ago, sending the Cardinals into Christmas break on a downer.

With White scoring 21 points and Peterson 18, the Cardinals (14-2) made sure the skid wouldn’t reach three games with the easy win over the visitors from Victoria, B.C.

Deandre Taylor and Ameer Shamsud-din scored 11 each for NIC.

The Chargers kept it close for a half, trailing 46-33 at intermission. Junior Blake Mansbridge, hitting 4 of 4 3-pointers to highlight a 9-of-15 shooting day, claimed game scoring honors with 27 points.

Women

Southern Cal 72, Washington State 57: Redshirt freshman Ireti Amojo, who scored a career-high 14 points, hit one of her four 3-pointers four minutes into the contest to give WSU an 8-4 lead, but the Cougars (2-11 overall) couldn’t keep pace with the Trojans (9-3) in the Pac-10 opener in Pullman.

WSU trailed 24-22 on a Carly Noyes layup with 5:30 left in the first half before USC scored the final 11 points of the session. Briana Gilbreath and Jacki Gemelos led four Trojans in double figures with 15 points apiece.

USC shot 39.3 percent (24 of 61) from the floor. Washington State shot 29 percent (22 of 72). The Trojans hit 16 of 23 from the free throw line. Washington State went 5 of 9 from the line.

The Cougars had a season-high 48 rebounds, 18 on the offensive end, and a season-best 14 steals but had 23 turnovers, including 13 in the second half.

UCLA 60, Washington 48: Rebekah Gardner came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers that highlighted a 15-point game and 27-point contribution from Bruins (11-1) reserves in beating the Huskies (5-5) in the Pac-10 opener in Seattle.

The eighth-ranked Bruins had very little contribution from leading scorer Darxia Morris, who finished with just four points and sat much of the second half.

Mackenzie Argens led UW with a season-high 18 points. The Huskies were trying to pull off their first upset of a ranked opponent in nearly three seasons.

The Bruins found themselves behind 36-28 early in the second half before relying on their trapping defense and a Washington team more than willing to make mistakes with a season-high 25 turnovers.