Torrid shooting and a dominant performance on the boards helped lift the Walla Walla Community College women’s basketball team to a 96-46 blowout win over Big Bend Saturday in the WWCC Dietrich Dome.
“We came out and played really well,” Warriors coach Bobbi Hazeltine said. “We ended up shooting 66 percent from the field, which is amazing.”
WWCC hit 42 of 65 field goals, including 8-of-16 from three-point range and four-of-five from the charity stripe.
“We were just on fire tonight, no matter who was in there,” said Hazeltine, whose team has won 21 straight and is 23-1 overall. The Warriors, 11-0 in the Northwest Athletic Conference East Region, secured an NWAC tournament berth with the lopsided win.
“That is earlier than we’ve ever clinched a spot,” Hazeltine said. That was our first goal, to get in, and we’re in.”
The Warriors continue East Region action at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Yakima.
In Saturday’s win, Cierra Jo McKeown led WWCC with 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the floor, including four-for-five from three-point range. McKeown was one of three Warriors with a half-dozen rebounds and dished out four assists.
“She had a good line tonight,” Hazeltine said.
McKenzie Gunter’s team-high eight rebounds helped WWCC take a 47-22 advantage on the boards. Kortney Hutchison and Jade Skidmore also had six rebounds apiece, while Skidmore tallied 18 points and led her squad with nine assists.
“She had another good game,” Hazeltine said of Skidmore.
Hazeltine played the Warrior bench for the entire final quarter. Gunter came off the bench to play the point and scored 10 points to go along with her eight boards.
“She played the best game of the year for her,” Hazeltine said.
Kaileigh Dietrich-Denton, also a reserve, hit four-of-five from the field en route to eight points.
“Offensively and defensively, we just had a good game today,” Hazeltine said.
WWCC 96, Big Bend 46
BIG BEND (46) — Martinez 12, Garrity 6, Dougherty 6, Johnson 3, Gronning 4, Drummond 5, Allan 6, Strom 2, Bishop, Jansen 2. Totals 19-66 2-2 46.
WWCC (96) — McKeown 22, Acock 13, Skidmore 18, Turner 6, Peralez 8, Andrews 2, Lyon 3, Hutchison 4, Gunter 10, Bowen 2, Dietrich-Denton 8. Totals 42-64 4-5 96.
Big Bend1211167—46
WWCC27153519—96
3-point goals — Big Bend 6, WWCC 8. Total fouls — Big Bend 14, WWCC 10. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — Big Bend. Rebounds — Big Bend 22, WWCC 47. Turnovers — Big Bend 14, WWCC 12. Assists — Big Bend 3, WWCC 17.
Union Bulletin
