EUGENE, Ore. – The Bushnell women's basketball team pulled back to .500 on Friday afternoon, forcing 22 turnovers as they held on to knock off The College of Idaho, 54-52 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action.
 
Bushnell (7-7, 4-2 CCC) survived a night in which they shot just 39% from the field, were 4-for-18 from three-point range and struggled at the free-throw line. The Yotes (9-6, 2-4) shot 38% and were just 4-for-17 from outside, while out-rebounding the Beacons 46-32.
 
Head Coach Chad Meadors said, "Our defense stepped up tonight and that is why we won the game. Our match-up zone was effective, our press helped us turn them over and get them scrambling, and our man-to-man played well. To shoot 22% from three and 30% at the free-throw line, and to be able to step up on defense is a really big deal. We want to be able to make those buckets but to still find a way to win that game shows a lot of grit and a lot of heart in this team."
 
The College of Idaho led by as many as eight points early in the second quarter, and took a 29-26 lead into the intermission. The third quarter is when the Beacons really got things going, opening on a 14-2 run to take a nine point lead of their own.
 
While they never took another lead, C of I made things interesting with a late charge. Trailing 51-44 with 6:26 to play, the visitors used an 8-2 run, climbing back to within one point on an Allie Cannon three-pointer with 1:21 to play.
 
A fruitless possession for Beacons gave the Yote a chance at a lead, but with 14 seconds to play, Bushnell senior Morgan McKinney picked off her sixth steal of the night. After Bella Pedrojetti canned one of two free-throw attempts to make a two-point game, the College of Idaho's last second attempt to tie fell short.
 
Bushnell was led by McKinney, posting another strong statistical effort with 18 points, six rebounds, six steals, and three assists. Kalina Rojas added 12 points and two blocks while Aspen Slifka scored nine. Aly Mirable contributed five points but led the Beacons with eight rebounds along with a game-high five assists.
 
The Yotes were led by Cannon, who finished as their only double-digit scorer with 12. Sienna Riggle scored eight points and had ten rebounds before fouling out and Kaylee Krusemark posted nine points and a team-leading three assists.
 
Bushnell closes out the weekend, and opens 2022 on Saturday, playing host to Eastern Oregon University (8-6, 5-1 CCC) at 3:00 pm. The Mountaineers will come in fresh as they claimed a Covid-related forfeit victory over Corban on Friday.