The Lower Columbia College Red Devils left no doubt on their home court, rolling over Highline 74-45. With the decisive victory at Myklebust gym, the Red Devils improved to an impressive 23-4 overall and 11-1 in conference play. This massive win officially crowns Lower Columbia as the NWAC West Region Champions and secures the coveted number one seed for the upcoming NWAC basketball championships.
The Red Devils controlled the game from the jump through relentless defensive pressure and interior muscle. Lower Columbia tallied 16 steals on the night and capitalized beautifully, scoring a whopping 33 points off turnovers. The team also completely owned the interior, racking up 42 points in the paint compared to Highline's 12. The Red Devils' depth was on full display throughout the contest, as the second unit poured in a massive 43 points to overwhelm their opponents.
Lower Columbia shot an efficient 44.1% from the field on 30-of-68 shooting and shared the ball incredibly well, recording 20 assists as a team. Shailoh Li'ili'i led the scoring with 10 points in just 13 minutes of action, while also adding a block and a steal to her stat line. Jaci Gonnie provided a crucial spark off the bench with 9 points, shooting 2-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Anni Filisi added 8 points on a highly efficient 4-for-7 shooting performance, and Regan Brewer stuffed the stat sheet with 7 points, 3 rebounds, and a team-high 4 assists. Adrian Wright was a force on the glass, pulling down a game-high 8 rebounds while chipping in 4 points and 2 assists. Despite the efforts of Highline's Nevaeh Richardson and Jeralynn Sevaaetasi, who each scored 11 points, the visitors simply couldn't keep pace with the Red Devils' relentless attack.
With the West Region title and the number one seed secured, Lower Columbia is locked in for a deep postseason run. Their first matchup of the championships will take place on Friday, March 6 at 6:00 PM against the Chemeketa Storm. The tournament will be held at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington.
Go to nwacsports.com/Championships for more information on times and to purchase tickets.
