LEWISTON, Idaho – Friday night wasn't the typical night for the Lewis-Clark State women's basketball team. For one, the final score 54-49, looked more like a halftime score for the Warriors. Secondly, they weren't the winners as Eastern Oregon won in the Twin Rivers Physical Therapy Classic at the LC Activity Center.
 
Coach Brian Orr couldn't quite put a finger on the sub-par outing – but he had a few suggestions.
 
"I don't know if it was fatigue or what but in the second half but they dominated the boards," said Orr after the Warriors (3-1) lost for the first time this season. "We had people that played well below their potential. In a game like this, people have to step up."
 
Those who did, he said, were playing for EOU.
 
"You have to give them credit," he said. "They're a good team. They deserved the win tonight."
 
From the outset, the Warriors struggled and, while they closed to within two at the end of the second quarter, they never could put together the run to give them the lead.
 
"Offensively, the whole game, we couldn't get in a rhythm," Orr said. "We didn't turn it over a lot but you have to make baskets. We had people missing layups."
 
The Warriors shot just 32.2 percent (19 of 59) from the field and only 16 percent (4 of 25) from 3-point range. The Mountaineers weren't much sharper – 31.81 from the field and 30.30 from 3-point range, but they made just enough more to keep the Warriors at bay. They also held a slim rebounding margin, 43-39, and had one fewer turnover – 13-14.
 
The Warriors are short-handed with three players, including preseason Frontier Conference Player of the Year Brittany Tackett, sidelined with injury.
 
"We haven't had any practices with this rotation," Orr said. "It was hard; it was hard all night long. But there are no excuses. We just didn't get it done."
 
The only Warriors in double figures were Lauren Johnson with 14 and Hailey Turner with 12. Turner led the Warriors on the boards with nine.
 
 
Montana Tech 77, College of Idaho 48
Montana Tech used a 25-point second quarter to erase  a seven-point first quarter deficit, and defeated the College of Idaho 77-48 in the opening game of the Twin Rivers Physical Therapy Classic.  Playing at host Lewis-Clark State's Activity Center, the victorious Lady Orediggers shot 52 percent from the field, and held the Coyotes to just 37 percent.   Montana Tech won the battle of the boards 41-27, and forced C of I into 20 turnovers.

Three Orediggers scored in double-digits, led by Shay Potter's 18 and Sammy McGree's 17.  Kaylee Zard added 10 points and a team-leading 11 rebounds to record a double-double for Montana Tech.  The Coyote's Alyssa Case led all scorers with 19 points, while Jade Sine and Mackenzie Collins each added five points.  Lindy Westendorf pulled down a team-high eight rebounds for the College of Idaho. 

Montana Tech (6-1) will play Eastern Oregon at 1 p.m. Saturday, in the final day of the two-day classic, while the College of Idaho (0-2) will play the host Lewis-Clark State Women at 5 p.m.