PORTLAND | With a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Top 25 team in C.C. Perry Gym for the first time this year, the Warner Pacific University Women's Basketball team (5-3, 3-0) took control early and often against the #21 Mount Vernon Nazarene University Cougars (9-4, 4-0), securing their first ranked victory of the season by a final score of 78-58.
 
Knights' Head Coach Matt Gregg was ecstatic to see his team come out and seize control of this opportunity from the opening possession, especially from his senior leaders on the court, specifically guards Anna Farner and Kylie Guelsdorf, who both finished tonight's game with double-doubles in points and rebounds.
 
"It's rare that you see two players get double-doubles in the same game," Coach Gregg explained. "That just goes to show what our energy was like tonight, and I'm proud of the way they played against a formidable Top 25 opponent like Mount Vernon," Coach Gregg concluded.
 
After starting the game at 0-0, the Knights and Cougars would see another tie at 3-3, and then Warner Pacific completely took over this contest, taking a 5-3 lead and never loosening their grip on a certain victory the remainder of the evening.
 
Taking an 11-point lead into halftime, Coach Gregg knew his team needed to control the 3^rd quarter pace of play and point differential, something the Knights have struggled with over the first part of the season. The Cougars managed to scratch and claw back within eight points after 30 minutes of play, but that would be the closest they would reach to a possible comeback victory Tuesday night.
 
The Knights stepped up their defensive presence in the 4^th quarter, limiting the Cougars to a lowly five points for the remaining 10 minutes of action tonight, and holding them to a 12.5% field goal percentage in the last period alone. On the contrary, the Knights shot exceptionally well as a team, ending the evening hitting 50% of their shots, and a respectable 40% from beyond the three-point arc.
 
Despite losing the turnover margin (15-16), WPU absolutely had their way in the post tonight, scoring 48 points in the paint (20 for MVNU), and outrebounding the Cougars 44-28. Farner led the way in the rebounding category for both teams, securing 14 boards, which includes eight offensive rebounds, in rout to her first double-double of the season.
 
Warner Pacific shared the ball at a much more efficient rate as well, dishing out a game-high 19 assists as a team, led by Farner's game-leading five dimes. This marks the Knights' second-highest assist total of the season for a single game, with their season-high at 21 assists coming in their upset win against defending conference champion Bushnell University.
 
WPU senior guard Courtney Jackson continues to prove why she's one of the best in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC), scoring another 27 points in tonight's win, which now makes three straight games in which she has scored 27 or more points. Jackson has absolutely been lighting up the court recently, scoring on 68.1% of her field goals over the last three contests.
 
Farner and Guelsdorf led all players tonight in the rebounding category, with Farner holding the slight edge with 14 boards to Guelsdorf's 12 boards. Both scored in double-digits to help lead the pack, with Guesldorf taking the advantage at 13 points to Farner's 10 points.
 
Senior forward Hannah Myers managed to stay out of foul trouble in a competitive post play tonight, which allowed her the flexibility to stretch for 16 points against a tall and lanky Mount Vernon lineup. Myers added four rebounds to the WPU total, and shared the rock for three assists in a 25 minutes played.
 
Cougars' guard Maggie Coe scored a team-high 20 points in Mount Vernon's efforts, including four assists to lead the team as well. Guard/forward Rylee Pireu added 13 points, and was the most consistent defensive presence for the Cougars by taking three of the Knights' turnovers and converting them into steals.
 
Warner Pacific returns to the hardwood this Friday, December 17^th, as they jump back up into the thick of conference play by hosting the Northwest University Eagles at 5:30pm PST. They will follow that contest on Saturday the 18^th by hosting the Eagles' travel partner, The Evergreen State Geoducks, at 3pm PST.