SALEM, OR – Sitara Byrd, Lindsey Wilson and Darian Herring were key in No. 15 LC State’s 97-77 victory over No. 18 Corban (Ore.) on Saturday. The visiting Warriors shot the lights out and tied the sixth-best single game field goal percentage mark at 61.4% from the floor, and the 56.3% from 3-point range is a season-best.
Wilson scored a season-high 15 points in the contest while Byrd notched a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Darian Herring filled up the box score with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.
“A high scoring fast-paced game for us and I’m always proud of our team for finding ways to win on the road,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “Sitara was absolutely phenomenal today and I know I wouldn’t want to play against her. She does all the small things right, always crashes the glass, and makes winning plays. Lindsey Wilson was so tough today as well. A timely season-high in points and she got to the free throw line so well. Darian stuffed her stat line and is such an incredible player.”
The victory has the LC State record at 12-4 overall and 6-2 in Cascade Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wilson, Byrd and Herring combined for nine points in the first three minutes to give LC State a 9-6 edge by 6:43. Herring, Byrd and Payton Hymas pushed the margin to 15-11 two minutes later, but a five-point run by Corban put the hosting Warriors in front by one. LC State ended the first quarter on a 6-0 run sparked by Kendall Wallace for a 21-16 advantage.
Seven points by Camden Barger was followed by three from Herring for a 10-point run to grow the LC State lead to 33-20 at 5:43 in the second frame. The LC Warriors held Corban off the board for five minutes before a pair of 3-pointers seemed to change the game’s momentum. LC State regained control with a 12-0 run in the final 2:19 of the half. The senior trio of Hymas, Wilson and Byrd scored nine straight points before a triple by Wallace capped the run to send the visiting Warriors to the locker room in front 49-28
Herring and Wallace each scored three points in the first 90 seconds of the third quarter to grow the lead to 55-34, and baskets by Wilson and Byrd matched Corban tallies. Corban’s Jersey Huerta, the CCC’s leading scorer, went on a 5-0 run on her own to cut the difference to 68-56 in the final two minutes of the frame and another late run cut the LC State lead to 70-60 with 10 minutes to play.
Corban scored first in the fourth quarter to cut the difference to single digits, but a 3-pointer by Brager and layup and free throws by Hymas pushed the score to 77-62 at 7:19. LC State grew the lead back to 20 with a 9-0 rally on baskets by Wilson, Herring and Brager. Brager scored the final five points of the run for an 86-65 advantage midway through the frame. Herring, Grace Beardin and Byrd scored in the final minutes of the 97-77 victory.
STAT RECAP
Byrd led all scorers with 26 points to go with 11 rebounds in her double-double. Herring added 16 points with eight boards, five assists, two steals and two blocks, and Wilson scored her season-best 15 points on 4-for-7 shooting and seven free throws.
Hymas scored 12 points with four assists and four steals and Brager added 10 points. Wallace, Byrd, Barger and Brager each drained two 3-pointers.
“I thought our point guards were great,” Orlandi added. “Camden’s and-1 3-pointer was perfect, and Payton was efficient from the floor. Tatum Brager was great on defense today, got deflections, and had great energy on the defensive end. She had timely buckets for us in the third quarter as well.”
As a team LC State shot 61.4% from the floor (35-for-57) which ties for sixth-best in CL State history. The stat is the best by LC State since 2015. The LC Warriors shot 56.3% from 3-point range (9-for-16) which is the best so far this season.
