March 9, 2006
Box Score
Pocatello, ID -- Guards Sara Tuomi and Laura Porter combined for 41 points to lead fifth-seeded Weber State past fourth-seeded Eastern Washington 74-69 and into the semi-finals of the Big Sky Conference Women's Postseason Basketball Tournament.
Eastern Washington (13-15) jumped to an early 19-14 lead on a jump shot by Brittney Osborn with 11:51 left in the first half. But Weber State (14-14) went on a 17-0 tear in which Chelsey Warburton scored all eight of her points and Tuomi five to go up 31-19. The Wildcats led 37-27 at halftime.
The Eagles fought back with Leah Gonnella scoring eight points in a 4:10 stretch and took their only lead of the second half on a Joanna Chadd trey, 54-53 with 10:30 left. But Weber regained the lead on a Porter two-pointer and a Tuomi trey and stayed ahead the rest of the way.
Tuomi's 23 points led all scorers, and Porter added 18. They were Weber's only double-figure scorers. Julie Page led five Eagles into double figures with 14 points, while Gonnella and Osborn scored 12 each, Chadd 11 and Felice Moore 10.
Weber had a 32-30 rebounding edge, led by Shantee Relaford's seven. Moore had six for the Eagles.
The Wildcats shot better than 50 percent in each half and ended the game at 53.8 percent. Eastern shot 41.1 percent.
Friday's games start with second-seeded Montana (21-6) facing third-seeded Northern Arizona (20-10) at 5:35 p.m. The second game, at 7:35 p.m. or 30 minutes after the first game concludes, pits top-seed and tourney host Idaho State (17-11) against Weber State.
