Cardinals Knocks Off Ex-Champs Nic Women To Face Ricks In Title Game

In a game that had championship intensity, North Idaho College’s women held off defending Region 18 basketball champion Utah Valley 76-72.

The Cardinals played the second half of the semifinal game with a desire that hasn’t been matched all year, in front of a near-capacity crowd at Christianson Gym that roared as NIC came from behind to get the win.

Utah Valley shot a staggering 54 percent from the field. Foul trouble for its interior players in the second half, though, allowed the Cardinals to come back after being down by as much as 10 points in the first half.

“There was so much tension in the first half because we didn’t want to lose in our house,” said NIC guard Angie Dickson, who finished with a game-high 18 points. “Fortunately, they got in some foul trouble in the second half, so we took it at them down low.”

No. 3-seed NIC will face No. 4 Ricks (19-11), which tripped up No. 1 Salt Lake 64-52, to gain a shot at the championship and a berth at the national tournament March 18-22 in Tyler, Texas. Game time is 5 p.m.

North Idaho 76, Utah Valley 72

The Wolverines controlled the game early, as Lelei Salea collected 10 points and eight rebounds before halftime. NIC reserve post Ann Shepard, who averages just over four points a game, also scored 10 in the first half to keep the game close.

“She’s a step-up player,” said NIC forward Jana Nearing, who Shepard filled in for when Nearing picked up a pair of early fouls.

Nearing, however, took over the game in the second half when Salea was benched with four fouls. Nearing had 10 rebounds and 10 points after intermission, and the Cardinals began to slowly take over the game.

Dickson and Nearing combined for NIC’s first 12 points of the second half, as the Cardinals cut the Utah Valley lead to 50-47. But Wolverines point guard Kristen Pool hit a 3-pointer with just over 11 minutes remaining to stretch the lead back to six points.

“She’s my champ; that girl loves basketball more than anyone,” Utah Valley coach Cathy Nixon said of Pool.

NIC continued to rally and took a 59-57 lead on a bucket by Nearing with 7:38 remaining. Dickson made a pair of 3-pointers over the next 2 minutes, as NIC briefly pulled away. Utah Valley showed the heart of a champion, though, and with its interior starters back in the game tied the score at 70 with 1:05 left.

The partisan crowd roared as Shawna Rainer made two baskets over the final minute to put the Cardinals up 74-72 with almost 19 seconds remaining. Utah Valley held for a final shot, but a pass to Julie Hansen in the post was broken up by NIC’s Tammy Goyne who was fouled on the steal.

“I wanted our girls to collapse if they drove to the basket, but I was surprised they didn’t get it to Salea,” said NIC coach Greg Crimp.

Goyne made both of the free throws and the Cardinals mobbed the floor as the game came to a close.

“The crowd was awesome and we were so pumped up, it’s undescribable how I feel right now,” said an elated Dickson.

The Wolverines were led by Hansen’s 17 points. Utah Valley had won 20 of its previous 21 games, and Nixon said that if the Wolverines had won Friday’s game, it was likely they would have won it all.

NIC improved to 17-0 on its home floor, and after the game, Ricks coach Trent Shippen came to congratulate Crimp.

“Call me a prophet,” Crimp said to Shippen. “I told you we’d see each other Saturday night.”

NIC, though, may hope that Dickson is the true prophet because she predicted a trip to Texas is in the Cardinals’ future.

“I think Utah Valley was our biggest obstacle, and I’m very confident about our chances in the championship game,” she said.

North Idaho 76, Utah Valley 72

UTAH VALLEY (25-7) - Church 5-11 0-0 10, Mink 6-8 0-0 12, Pool 2-5 0-0 5, Kelsch 2-3 0-0 4, Ames 0-1 0-0 0, Salea 5-8 4-5 14, Hansen 7-7 3-9 17, Schaer 0-0 0-0 0, Roberts 0-0 0-0 0, Hunter 4-14 2-4 10. Totals 31-57 9-18 72.

NORTH IDAHO (26-4) - Goyne 1-3 2-4 7, Jacques 2-6 1-2 5, Richards 0-1 0-0 0, Dickson 8-16 0-0 18, Nearing 6-13 4-8 16, Rainer 7-10 3-4 17, Clark 0-0 0-0 0, Shepard 4-9 2-2 10, Jensen 1-2 0-0 3, Dowhy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-62 12-18 76.

Half - Utah Valley 40, North Idaho 35. 3-point goals - Utah Valley 1-5 (Pool 1-2, Hunter 0-1, Church 0-2), North Idaho 4-13 (Dickson 2-7, Goyne 1-1, Jensen 1-2, Jacques 0-2, Richards 0-1). Total fouls - Utah Valley 21, North Idaho 16. Fouled out - Hansen. Technical fouls - none. Rebounds - Utah Valley 33 (Salea 13), North Idaho 26 (Nearing 12). Assists - Utah Valley 23 (Pool 12), North Idaho 22 (Goyne 7). Att. - 1,110 (est.).

Ricks 64, Salt Lake 52

Ricks coach Trent Shippen insists his team isn’t purposely falling way behind. But the Vikings sure seem comfortable on the comeback trail.

Ricks, which had rallied from 11 points down in the second half to defeat Southern Idaho on Thursday, was even more dramatic on Friday.

The Vikings stunningly turned a 31-13 deficit into a win - going away.

Ricks chipped the margin down to 12 at half. The Vikings, led by Tara Pike, Emily Freeze and Kaly Gillette, knocked down six 3-pointers in the second half. Cady Williams scored all 14 of her points in the final 20 minutes. Salt Lake (24-8) made its first eight shots to build the early lead, but made just 9 of 44 the rest of the way.

“Trent coached an unbelievable game,” said Salt Lake coach Betsy Specketer, pointing out the numerous defensive adjustments made by Ricks.

“And with the 3-point shot, you’re never out of a game. They’ve got kids that love to shoot the 3.”

RICKS (19-11) - Shumway 1-2 1-2 4, Anderson 1-3 0-0 2, Pike 4-7 0-1 11, Freeze 3-11 0-1 9, Gillette 4-8 1-1 11, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Gneiting 2-5 2-2 6, Jones 0-0 0-0, Goodell 2-4 0-1 4, Williams 3-8 7-7 14, Youngstrom 0-0 3-7 3. Totals 20-49 14-22 64.

SALT LAKE (24-8) - Gillins 1-1 0-0 2, Noel 2-2 0-0 4, Whitten 3-4 3-5 12, Ketcham 0-3 0-0 0, Stark 0-1 0-0 0, Allen 1-8 1-2 4, Hofmann 2-5 2-2 6, Welsh 2-6 0-1 4, Francom 1-3 3-4 5, Sorenson 1-4 2-4 4, Crocker 4-15 3-3 11. Totals 17-52 14-21 52.

Half - Salt Lake 34, Ricks 22. 3-point goals - Ricks 10-19 (Pike 3-4, Freeze 3-6, Gillette 2-4, Shumway 1-2, Williams 1-2, Gneiting 0-1), Salt Lake 4-14 (Whitten 3-4, Allen 1-5, Ketcham 0-1, Hofmann 0-1, Crocker 0-3). Total fouls - Ricks 20, Salt Lake 21. Fouled out - Whitten. Technical fouls - none. Rebounds - Ricks 33 (Goodell 9), Salt Lake 31 (Welsh, Francom each 8). Assists - Ricks 14 (Gillette 5), Salt Lake 13 (Welsh 5).

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Friday’s results Scores from Friday’s Region 18 Tournament semifinal games at North Idaho College’s Christianson Gym: Women North Idaho 76, Utah Valley 72 Ricks 64, Salt Lake 52 Men Eastern Utah 68, Ricks 65 NIC 95, Utah Valley 84