Freshman Keys Winning Run For Ewu
Area women
Facing an opponent that had won two games all season and the possibility of a 3-1 start in the Big Sky Conference, the Eastern Washington women’s basketball team started slowly Thursday, but finished big with a 69-57 victory over Sacramento State.
A 14-0 run in the middle of the second half was key for the Eagles.
Freshman Alison Chase, a backup guard/forward, scored 11 points during the 4-minute run as the Eagles took a 58-46 lead after trailing 46-44.
Chase hit a pair of jumpers to start the run, then Courtney Horner made one of her four 3-pointers before Chase finished it off with a 3-pointer, 2 of 3 free throws and another jumper.
Sac State drew as close as 61-55 with 1:50 left, but a 3-pointer by Tracy Ford, her third of the game, gave the Eagles a nine-point cushion and they closed by making 5 of 6 free throws.
Chase scored 15 points, Horner a team-high 17, Ford 14 and Kelli Pilkington 11 for Eastern Washington (6-8, 3-1 Big Sky).
The Hornets didn’t shoot particularly well (36 percent) in building a 34-31 halftime lead, but struggled mightily in the second half, making 6 of 30 to finish at 29 percent.
Eastern Washington is tied for second place with Montana State and Portland State, half a game behind Big Sky leader Cal State Northridge.
EWU 69, Sacramento St. 57
Eastern Washington (6-8, 3-1) - Bailey 2-6 5-6 9, Ford 5-17 1-2 14, Burgess 0-0 1-2 1, Horner 4-10 5-8 17, Lincoln 0-1 0-0 0, Waddell 0-0 0-1 0, J. Granger 0-1 0-0 0, Dukes 0-1 0-0 0, Chase 6-9 2-3 15, S. Granger 1-2 0-0 2, Pilkington 3-5 5-5 11, Carlson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 19-27 69.
Sacramento State (2-11, 0-3) - Dunn 3-14 2-4 10, Boyd 4-12 0-0 8, Ranney 0-3 0-0 0, Wastell 3-14 7-8 14, St. Clair 5-11 0-0 13, Misner 0-0 0-0 0, Kenyon 2-4 0-0 4, Robinson 1-5 0-0 2, Smurzynski 0-1 0-0 0, Hodges 2-5 2-2 6. Totals 20-69 11-14 57.
Halftime - Sacramento State 34, Eastern Washington 31. 3-point goals - Eastern Washington 8-19 (Horner 4-10, Ford 3-6, Chase 1-2, Dukes 0-1), Sacramento State 6-19 (St. Clair 3-7, Dunn 2-7, Wastell 1-5). Fouled out - None. Rebounds - Eastern Washington 45 (Bailey 9), Sacramento State 39 (Boyd 10). Assists - Eastern Washington 14 (Ford 5), Sacramento State 11 (St. Clair 4). Total fouls - Eastern Washington 17, Sacramento State 20. Technicals - Dunn. A - 176.