PORTLAND, Ore. -
Deidra Miller poured in 27 points and
Merrily Jones added 17 but it wasn't enough to prevent Evergreen from losing its 2018-19 women's basketball season opener to host Lewis & Clark College, 78-69, on Friday night inside Pamplin Pavilion.
Miller hit a three-pointer to open the game and scored Evergreen's first seven points before host Pioneers broke away from from a 13-13 tie to take a 19-15 advantage through the first quarter. Lewis & Clark continued to add to its lead, taking a 51-45 margin into a final quarter that saw the two teams combine for 51 points.
Evergreen cut its deficit to two points at 69-67 on a three-pointer by Miller with 2:16 to play, and it had a chance to tie or go ahead after two steals but turned the ball over once and missed a three the other time. Alyx Crager hit a big three for the Pioneers with 36 seconds remaining to put her team on top, 72-67, before
Alexcis Higginbotham hit a layin to make it 72-69.
Lewis & Clark's Janessa Willie iced the game for the home team by hitting four free throws inside the final 13 seconds.
Miller was 9-for-17 from the field, 7-for-10 from the foul line and led the team with nine rebounds and four assists while playing 32 minutes. Jones was 7-for-9 from the floor in scoring her 17, while
Amber Jones added 13 points and three assists. The Geoducks shot 42 percent overall (25-for-59) but just 56 percent from the foul line (13-for-23).
Lewis & Clark, led by 19 points from Crager, shot 39 percent overall (28-for-71) and held a 38-31 edge in rebounds.
Evergreen is back in action again on Saturday, playing the Willamette Bearcats in Salem, Ore., at 4 p.m.
