NIC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cloninger earns MVP as Cardinals romp to Lower Columbia title

LONGVIEW, Wash. — Shelby Cloninger scored a game-high 26 points on her way to earning MVP honors, leading the North Idaho College Cardinals past the Umpqua Riverhawks 81-50 in the championship game of the Lower Columbia Holiday Classic on Wednesday afternoon.

Maci Benedict and Stormee Van Belle were named to the all-tournament team for NIC (14-2), which hosts Snow College next Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Van Belle had 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists and Benedict had 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists for NIC.

UMPQUA

Jasmyne Davis 3-12 0-0 6, Maddy Pape 0-2 3-4 3, Tasia Billbrew 4-7 0-0 8, Katie Underwood 0-1 0-0 0, Sawyer Kluge 5-18 2-2 13, Olivia Williams 1-4 0-0 2, Anna Mumm 7-14 3-3 18, Shaunta Jackson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-58 8-9 50.

NORTH IDAHO

Gracie Roberts 0-4 0-2 0, Maci Benedict 4-13 0-1 11, Alyssa Case 0-3 0-0 0, Shelby Cloninger 11-21 4-5 26, Kaylee Olsen 0-1 0-0 0, Monica Landdeck 5-10 0-0 13, Jocelyn Cook-Cox 1-3 1-2 3, Ebony Norman 1-6 0-0 2, Clarissa Smith 1-2 0-0 2, Gracie Varcoe 1-7 1-1 3, Charity Marlatt 3-5 0-0 6. Totals 32-83 11-16 81.

Umpqua 11 8 20 11 — 50

North Idaho 22 17 22 20 — 81

3-point goals — Ump 2-16 (Davis 0-2, Pape 0-1, Billbrew 0-1, Underwood 0-1, Kluge 1-6, Williams 0-2, Mumm 1-4), NIC 6-22 (Roberts 0-1, Benedict 3-7, Case 0-1, Cloninger 0-3, Olsen 0-1, Landdeck 3-7, Norman 0-1, Smith 0-1). Rebounds — Ump 36 (Davis, Kluge, Mumm 7), NIC 55 (Van Belle 8). Assists — Ump 9 (Billbrew, Kluge 3), NIC 16 (Roberts 5). Team fouls — Ump 11, NIC 11. Fouled out — none.