Eastern Oregon Holds NU Well Below Scoring Average in 82-66 Win
March 13, 2009
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – In just its second Championship appearance, No. 9 Eastern Oregon is advancing to the Quarterfinals after a 82-66 victory over No. 8 Northwood (Fla.) tonight in the 2009 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship. The 18th annual event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks (Mo.).
Up next for Eastern Oregon (25-7) is the winner of No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan and Grand View (Iowa) scheduled on Saturday (March 14) at 8 p.m. CST. EOU is advancing to its first game in the Round of 8.
With the score tied at 10-10 just five minutes into the game, EOU’s Kris Groce ignited a 16-4 run that put the momentum in Eastern Oregon’s favor. He capped that run with a trey at the 9:00-minute mark. The 26-14 lead for Eastern Oregon matched its biggest lead of the first half. Groce netted 20 points in the first half going 4-of-5 from long range.
EOU led by a 41-29 margin at intermission thanks in large part to 52 percent shooting.
Out of the locker room, DeSean White of Northwood scored four straight points to help bring the Seahawks to within a 42-36 score. However, Neil Fryer made one of Eastern Oregon’s eight 3-pointer’s, which began a 14-5 spurt.
In the game’s final 10 minutes, Eastern Oregon stretched the lead to 18 points and never looked back.
Groce led all scorers with 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Jordan Gregg collected 14 points and seven rebounds while Thomas McCarthy had 10.
EOU shot 52 percent (29-of-56) overall and forced 14 NU turnovers.
White led four Seahawks in double figures with 16 points and snared 11 caroms off the glass.
Northwood finishes the year with a 27-6 overall record. The Seahawks were held to 11 points below their season average.
