The Bulldogs hopes of advancing in the NWAC Championship Tournament evaporated in cold-shooting performance in a 75-58 opening-round loss to Umpqua on Thursday at Everett Community College.
Bellevue (18-12), which shot just 31 percent, fell behind midway through the first half as Umpqua opened a 40-25 lead at the break. The Bulldogs, the No. 3 seed in the North Region, cut the deficit to nine points twice in the final six minutes, but couldn’t get the crucial basket to make it a two-possession game.
The game was the last for head coach Jeremy Eggers, who is stepping aside after 14 seasons to become the athletic director at Bellevue College.
“We competed, we battled, we were there, we gave ourself a chance all the time, we just couldn’t get the ball to go in,” Eggers said. “That was the sad part, because this team worked so hard.”
Jordan Muir-Keung had 14 points for the Bulldogs, while Taylor Freeman and Trey Nelson each added 12.
The Bulldogs, who had overcome a 22-point halftime deficit to defeat Everett 72-70 in mid-February, had no such magic against Umpqua. Bellevue shot 34 percent in the first half and any hopes of a second-half of a comeback vanished when BC was 9 of 33 after the break for 27 percent.
Bellevue was 3 for 19 from 3-point range and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line. The Bulldogs also were out-rebounded 50-39.
“We didn’t do enough of the little things,” Eggers said. “Shooting, yeah, we could say shooting forever, but we also gave them some extra possessions on offense that we shouldn’t have. All those things we’ve been talking about all year. All those little things add up and they caught us pretty good today.”
Grant Ellison had 20 points to pace a balanced Umpqua attack, which had five players in double figures. Umpqua (19-9), the No. 2 seed in the South Region, avenged an 86-79 non-league loss to Bellevue in early December.
Last Updated March 9, 2017
