Riverhawks finish regular season with losses to Lane
WINCHESTER — The Umpqua Riverhawks basketball teams ended the regular season on the wrong side of the Lane Titans on Wednesday at Umpqua Community College.
In a battle of No. 1 vs No. 2, the top-ranked Lane Titans beat the Umpqua women 83-63 to clinch the South Region title for a fourth consecutive season.
Lane’s defense stifled the UCC offense in the first quarter, holding the Riverhawks to just 28% shooting and building an 18-point advantage. The Titans managed to hold off the Riverhawks the rest of the way.
Brooklyn Fely had 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead Umpqua (26-2, 14-2 South). UCC’s only losses this season were against Lane, which also beat Umpqua for the NWAC championship in 2024.
Emma McDonald had 22 points to lead Lane (29-0, 16-0) to an undefeated regular season. Sutherlin High School graduate Micah Wicks had 7 points and 7 rebounds for the Titans.
Both teams will now get ready for the NWAC tournament starting March 5 in Pasco, Washington. Lane will face Bellevue, the fourth place team from the North Region, in the first round of the conference tournament at 4 p.m. on March 5. The Riverhawks begin the conference tourney at 10 a.m. on March 6 against Olympic, the third place team from the North.
The Umpqua men finished their season with a narrow 78-72 loss to Lane.
Umpqua’s Bentley Whitear sank a free throw with 3:24 left in the second half to knot the score at 70-70. The Titans finished on an 8-2 run to secure the win.
Whitear had 16 points to lead UCC and Bowen Davies added 13 points, 15 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. Davies finished the season with 101 blocks, setting a new school-record for blocks in a single season.
The UCC men, who were ineligible for postseason play, finished with a 20-8 overall record. Lane (20-7, 11-5) will face Spokane in the first round of the conference tournament at 10 a.m. on March 7.
