Winger, Owen shine at Husky Last Chance

Idaho Vandals junior Russ Winger used the Husky Last Chance track and field meet Saturday as a final tune-up for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Winger improved his best-in-the-nation mark in the shot put with a personal-best toss of 65 feet, 5 inches on his final throw of the day to win the event.

Winger finished fifth in the weight throw with a toss of 65-1 1/2 – a provisional-qualifying mark.

Vandals junior Melinda Owen set a school indoor record in the women’s pole vault – clearing 13-8 1/4 in a first-place effort.

Owen topped her previous school record of 13-5 3/4 set earlier this season in the same building at the Husky Classic.

Owen is tied for seventh place nationally and is assured of a spot in the NCAA indoor meet that begins Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.

Also at the meet, Gonzaga senior Joe Miller set a school record in the men’s 5,000-meter run with a time of 14 minutes, 30.86 seconds. He finished 11th.

Basketball

Brian Green hit four 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 18 points to lead the Salt Lake Bruins (22-8, 13-7) to a 63-56 victory over the North Idaho Cardinals (16-14, 8-12) in a Scenic West Athletic Conference men’s game in Salt Lake City.

Reserve Shawn Henderson was the lone Cardinal to reach double figures – scoring 11.

“Katie King and Krista Farr combined for 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Salt Lake Bruins (25-5, 17-3) to a 61-59 victory over the North Idaho Cardinals (19-11, 11-9) in a Scenic West Athletic Conference women’s game in Salt Lake City.

NIC’s Cassie Pilkinton led all scorers with 16.

Jessica Thielen added 11 points for the Cardinals, while Niki Scott scored 10 and grabbed nine rebounds.

Baseball

Chris Kissock tossed a complete-game three-hitter and Ryan Anderson drove in three runs as the Lewis-Clark State Warriors (12-0) drubbed the Washington State Cougars 12-1 at the Banana Belt Tournament in Lewiston.

The Cougars (6-4) saw a four-game winning streak end.

Softball

The Whitworth Pirates opened Northwest Conference play with a pair of victories over the Pacific Boxers – 6-5, 7-2 – at the Trade Recreation Agriculture Complex in Pasco.

In the opener, Whitworth (5-0, 2-0) scored all six of its runs in the first inning en route to the victory. Lacey Parry’s two-run single got things started for the Pirates.

In the nightcap, Lacey Parker’s run-scoring triple highlighted a four-run third as the Pirates earned a sweep.