Vandals Regroup To Whip Ewu

Area college women

Hours after learning freshman phenom Susan Woolf would be lost for the season because of injury, the Idaho women’s basketball team had to refocus its attention on Eastern Washington Friday night in Memorial Gym in Moscow.

The Vandals discovered they could win without her as they trounced their former Big Sky rivals 70-52 behind their other freshman star, forward Alli Nieman.

Nieman ate up EWU’s interior defense, scoring a game- and career-high 28 points, hitting 8 of 12 from the field and 12 of 13 free throws.

“They were playing a man-to-man defense,” the 6-foot-1 Nieman said. “Their posts were staying behind everybody.”

EWU coach Heidi VanDerveer also used zone defenses, as well as double-teams, trying to slow down Nieman. They didn’t work.

“Alli is a very talented player,” EWU’s third-year coach said. “We knew she would get her share.”

In a first-half defensive battle, EWU trailed 21-18 with 4:54 left. However, the Eagles turned the ball over six times as the Vandals scored 10 unanswered points for a 31-18 halftime advantage.

The Eagles couldn’t muster a comeback in the second half as Idaho held at least an 11-point lead the rest of the game.

The Vandals (4-4) used a stingy full-court press most of the game to wear out the Eagles and force 20 turnovers.

“We made them work hard the entire game,” Idaho coach Julie Holt said. “By the time they got into their half-court offense, they had 21 seconds left (on the 30-second shot clock).”

Idaho’s defense also held EWU’s sophomore scoring leaders, Tanya Kirk and Shana Ray, to a combined 7-of-24 shooting. Each came in averaging 17.3 points per game. Kirk, however, was EWU’s lone double-figure scorer with 11. Ray had nine.

Idaho faces Pepperdine on Sunday in Memorial Gym at 2 p.m. EWU (2-3) plays host to Southern Utah on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Idaho 70, EWU 52

Eastern Washington (2-3) - Kirk 4-13 2-2 11, Sloan 0-2 0-0 0, Ferguson 2-6 0-0 4, Sutter 1-2 2-2 4, Ray 3-11 3-4 9, Schmick 3-4 1-2 7, Ford 2-7 3-4 7, Carlson 1-1 0-1 2, Olson 2-4 2-2 6, Moore 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 19- 51 13-17 52.

Idaho (4-4) - Gussett 3-5 2-5 8, Nieman 8-12 12-13 28, Greenwood 6-10 2-2 14, Johnson 2-8 0-0 6, Skorpik 2-9 2-4 6, McDaniel 1-2 0-0 2, Blakley 1-1 0-0 2, Stone 2-3 0-0 4, Totals 25-50 18-24 70.

Halftime-Idaho 31, E. Wash. 18. 3-point goals-E. Wash. 1-8 (Kirk 1-6, Sutter 0-1, Ford 0-1); Idaho 2-13, (Gussett 0-1, Nieman 0-1, Johnson 2-7, Skorpik 0-4). Rebounds-E. Wash. 31, (Sloan 6); Idaho 30, (Nieman 7). Total fouls-E. Wash. 19, Idaho 14. Fouled out-none. A-647.

Portland AAU 67, WSU 64

Markita Aldridge scored 19 points to lead the Saints to a non-league win over the Cougars at Pullman.

The Cougars (4-1) were led by Kristin Erickson’s 18 points and six rebounds. Her effort included seven points in the final 89 seconds as the Cougars pulled to within one point before the Saints added a pair of late free throws.

Next action for the Cougars will be the Coca-Cola Holiday Invitational at Boise State Dec. 21-22.

Portland AAU De Young 0-1 0-0 0, Judy 3-9 0-0 6, Murguia 2-5 3-4 7, Wright 1-9 4-9 6, Aldridge 8-17 3-7 19, Moore 3-6 2-2 10, Dumdeang 2-3 0-0 5, Northrow 4-6 0-0 8, Blackmon 0-0 2-2 2, McWhorter 1-1 2-2 4. Totals 24-57 16-26 67.

Washington State - Erickson 6-16 3-4 18, Wilder 2-2 1-2 5, Kunze 3-6 0-2 6, Hyett 2-4 0-0 5, Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Ross 1-3 0-2 2, McNeeely 1-5 2-4 5, Kerns 2-3 0-0 6, Evans 4-9 0-3 8, Ludwicki 1-4 7-8 9. Totals 22-54 13-25 64.

Halftime - WSU 32, PS 30. 3-point goals - PS 3-8 (Wright 0-1, Aldridge 3-7, Moore 2-3, Dumdeang 1-1, Northrow 0-1 ). WSU 7-17 (Erickson 3-9, Hyett 1-1, Smith 0-2, McNeely 1-1, Kerns 2-2, Ludwicki 0-2). Fouled out - None. Rebounds - PS 38 (Murguia 12). WSU 38 (Evans 9). Assists - PS 13 (Wright 8). WSU 15 (Hyett, Kerns 4). Steals - PS 14 (Judy,Aldridge 4). WSU 11 (Hyett 3). Turnovers - PS 24 (Aldridge 6 ). WSU 31 (Hyett 6). Total fouls - PS 20. WSU 18. Technical - PS: Aldridge. A - 267.

CC Spokane 64, Mt. Hood CC 56

The Sasquatch used an 8-0 run with 8 minutes left to hold off the Saints at Spokane Falls Community College.

CCS led until Mt. Hood forged a 47-46 lead with 8 minutes to play. Two Alana Carlander baskets and one each by Shelley Massingale and Kelli Pilkington sent the Sasquatch on an 8-0 run to regain control of the contest.

Carlander and Massingale finished with 13 points apiece to lead CCS. Heather Brandt added 11 points. Massingale led all rebounders with 11.

The Sasquatch improved to 8-1, with their only loss coming against unbeaten North Idaho College. Mt. Hood fell to 3-3.

Mt. Hood CC (3-3) - Barker 1-1 0-0 3, Still 0-4 0-0 0, Hedlund 2-15 3-3 9, Nolin 0-0 0-0 0, Close 5-11 1-6 11, Newton 0-1 0-0 0, Schott 0-3 0-0 0, Davis 9-21 2-3 20, Taylor 4-10 1-2 13. Totals 21-66 7-14 56.

CC Spokane (8-1) - Pilkington 4-9 0-0 8, Shelton 0-2 2-2 2, Lentz 0-1 0-0 0, Titchenal 2-3 0-0 5, Carlander 6-9 1-2 13, Massingale 5-12 1-3 13, Kuh 3-4 2-3 8, Marchand 1-6 1-2 3, Brandt 3-5 5-7 11, Lawler 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 24-51 13-21 64.

Halftime-CC Spokane 35, Mt. Hood CC 28. 3-point goals-Mt. Hood CC 7-18 (Taylor 4-6, Hedlund 2-10, Barker 1-1, Davis 0-1), CC Spokane 3-5 (Massingale 2-3, Titchenal 1-1, Marchand 0-1). Fouled out-Close, Taylor, Pilkington. Rebounds-Mt. Hood CC 31 (Davis 10), CC Spokane 39 (Massingale 11). Assists-Mt. Hood CC 14 (Hedlund 9), CC Spokane 14 (Marchand 6). Total fouls-Mt. Hood CC 20, CC Spokane 17. A-NA.