WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Mireyah Lopez and Chariah Daniels had career nights and led the Walla Walla Women's Basketball team to a 78-61 win over Warner Pacific in a Cascade Conference game at Windemuth Court on Saturday.

The win improved the Wolves' record to 7-15 overall and 4-12 in conference play and was the third win in a row for WWU.

"Strong team performance tonight. They played with great energy, stayed focused on the small things and worked great together," Walla Walla coach Tony Nakashima said. "They took care of the ball and maintained their composure throughout the game."

Lopez had never hit more than two 3-pointers in a single game before Saturday when she went 6-of-7 (hitting her first six) in the win. The sophomore set a career high with 26 points.

Daniels recorded her 40th double-double with 15 points and a team-record tying 19 rebounds, a record she set in 2022. The senior also had seven assists and two steals.

Sophomore Natalee Trevino was 7-of-10 from the field and finished with 15 points. Freshman Jaylo Bello added 10 points and six rebounds.

Walla Walla shot 30-of-57 (52.6%) on the night and hit nine 3-pointers. The Wolves recorded an assist on 17 of the 30 made field goals and forced 11 turnovers. The turning point in the game was the second quarter where WWU made 11-of-15 (73.3%) of its attempts and outscored the Knights 27-14.

Alex Saunders led Warner Pacific with 13 points. Kiki Brooks had 11 points in 17 minutes played and Emily Fortin finished with 10. Alexa Mee had a team-high 10 rebounds. The Knights had 34 of their 61 points scored by players off their bench.
The loss dropped the Warner Pacific record to 7-15 overall and 4-12 in CCC action.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Warner Pacific put points on the scoreboard first with an Emily Fortin layup. Chariah Daniels answered with a jump shot for the Wolves. The two teams traded baskets over the next five possessions as the Knights took an 8-6 lead. Natalee Trevino connected from beyond the arc to give Walla Walla its first lead of the game. After another Fortin layup it was Mireyah Lopez that hit a 3-pointer and Daniels made both free throw attempts to give the Wolves a four point advantage with 4:25 to go in the opening quarter.

Amalya Sales started a 7-2 run for the Knights with a layup and WPU retook the lead. Jordan Green-Wallace answered with a jump shot and Daniels made a free throw. Kiki Brooks of Warner Pacific tied the game, but Allison Haslam made a jumper and gave the Wolves a 21-19 lead before the end of the first.

Lopez opened the second quarter with a 3. The Knights scored seven of the next eight points to take a 26-25 lead. Trevino ended the run with a layup and Green-Wallace made a jump shot. Brooks made a 3-pointer for WPU to tie the game at 29-29 with 5:46 left in the half before Walla Walla took over.

Green-Wallace, Lopez, Daniels and Bello made layups. Fortin scored inside to end for the Knights, but Daniels answered with a successful and-1. In the final 71 seconds of the half it was Trevino with a jumper and Lopez made two 3-pointers and the Wolves took a 48-33 lead to halftime.

Sidney Folkenberg answered a Warner Pacific basket with one of her own to start the second half. Lopez was good again from beyond the arc and Green-Wallace made it a 20-point lead for Walla Walla. The Knights did not go away quietly. WPU went on a 10-0 run over the next 4:12 to cut the lead in half. Trevino put a stop to the run with a layup and WWU led 57-45 with 2:41 to go in the third. Ashland Campbell hit a 3 for Warner Pacific and Alex Saunders added a layup. Lopez was fouled as time expired on a 3-point attempt and made two-of-three and the Wolves led 59-50 after three quarters.

Trevino made a layup as Walla Walla held the Knights scoreless for nearly the first two minutes of the quarter. Daniels pushed the lead to double figures with a layup. After a basket by Warner Pacific it was Bello with a 3. The Wolves maintained their lead throughout the fourth quarter when Daniels recorded her 19th rebound and on the following possession Lopez made her sixth 3-pointer of the game. 

UP NEXT

The Wolves will go on the road for a pair of conference games. First up is Eastern Oregon on Friday, Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. in La Grande, Ore. and then the College of Idaho at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8 in Caldwell, Idaho.