Box Score
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Northwest Christian held a high scoring team and high scoring player well under their season averages on Saturday night, but the defensive effort wasn’t enough in a 57-45 loss to Northwest University. Facing three starters in the six-foot range, the Beacons were even able to our-rebound their foes 43-40, bringing in 17 offensive boards, but 12 turnovers proved costly in the loss.
NCU was only down 27-22 at the intermission, but trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half as the Beacons were cold from the floor, shooting just 6-for-30 (20%) after the break. NCU was outscored 26-12 in the paint but did plenty of things right against the second-place team in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
“I was very pleased with how we played tonight,” said Head Coach Liz Bolton. “We responded well to a very physical game and we had our best defensive effort of the year. Katie Montieth and
Kelsey Bolander did a great job defending Jessica Wilkerson and that is something I am proud of.”
Wilkerson, the second leading scorer in the CCC averaging just under 20 points per game, was held to just eleven points on Saturday, going 0-for-6 from three-point range. Northwest (12-7, 8-3 CCC) also had ten points and eight rebounds from Jessalyn Jackson and Marielle McKean came off the bench to score 9 points with eight rebounds. As a team, the Eagles have averaged 68 points per game, but were held to just 57 for the night, shooting 34% from the field.
The Beacons (8-12, 2-9) were led by
Lori Renner, scoring team-highs with ten points and seven rebounds.
Katie Collins scored seven points and
Aly Bruns finished with six points, seven rebounds, and two assists.
Calie McVicker (pictured) closed out a strong weekend with four steals, giving her nine over the last two games.
Northwest Christian will be back in action on Friday night as they return home to face Oregon Tech. The Owls knocked off NCU in Klamath Falls back in December, 63-46.