Oregon Heads To Championship Game After 64-51 Win Over Eagles

Friday, November 23

Albuquerque, N.M.

5 p.m.

University of Oregon

Coppin State

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

Oregon Heads To Championship Game After 64-51 Win Over Eagles

11/23/07 | Women's Basketball

By: GoDucks.com

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. ? Oregon advanced to the championship game of the Holiday Inn & Suites Express Albuquerque Midtown Tournament Championship game after a 64-51 victory over Coppin State at The Pit on Friday night.

Oregon improves to 3-1 on the year and will play the winner of Nicholls State and New Mexico, tomorrow at 8 p.m. PST. The Eagles fall to 3-4 and will play in tomorrow's consolation game.

Senior Kaela Chapdelaine led Oregon to victory in a valiant, 19-point, 11-rebound performance ? the first double-double of the fifth-year senior's career. Both her 19-point and 11 rebound totals set new single-game career highs for the Okotoks, Alberta native.

She knocked down four crucial three-pointers in the second half, and picked up 10 of her boards in the first half alone. Chapdelaine also dished out five assists, topped only by Taylor Lilley's career-high seven.

Freshman Ellyce Ironmonger also reached double figures for Oregon with a career-high 13 points.

An inside basket from Chapdelaine tied the game at 38-38 with 12:30 to go. Sophomore Micaela Cocks gave Oregon a 43-40 lead, converting a three-point play, after driving to the lane, finishing the layup despite the foul, and knocking down the free throw.

Chapdelaine's first three-pointer of the game gave Oregon a 46-40 lead just under the 10-minute mark. Her third trey of the game put Oregon ahead by double-digits for the first time, 55-44, with just over five minutes remaining.

Oregon shot 44.0 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Eagles 34-22, including 15 on the offensive end.

Reigning MEAC player of the year Rashida Suber led Coppin State with 19 points.

The score was even at 25-25 when the halftime buzzer sounded.

Early on Oregon did its damage on the offensive boards, grabbing four in the first four minutes of the game, led by Chapdelaine.

The insertion of Cocks and Ironmonger added a spark for the Ducks, who surpassed an early deficit and helped Oregon to a 17-11 lead with 10:22 remaining in the first.

But Oregon was cold from the floor after that point, and shot just 34.5 percent (10-of-29) from the floor, while also turning the ball over 12 times in the first half.

Coppin State did most of its damage with its backcourt as Suber was able to create shots off the dribble in the paint, leading the Eagles with 10 the first half.

Ironmonger was 4-of-5 from the floor and 1-of-2 from the line to lead the Ducks with nine points off the bench in the first.

Freshman starting center Nicole Canepa played just three minutes in the first half, committing two fouls early on. She finished the game with eight points.

QUICK QUACKS: Coppin State was the third consecutive team Oregon has played that went to the postseason last year; South Dakota State (WNIT), Marquette (NCAA Tournament), Coppin State (WNIT)...this was the first meeting the two programs...Chapdelaine became the first Oregon player this year to reach double figures in rebounds...Nicole Canepa scored eight points for Oregon, ending the freshman's three-game streak of reaching double figures in points.