SALEM, Ore. – On the opening night of the Corban Classic that was sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Research Association, Simpson University took down Corban University in the nightcap, 75-64, while Lewis-Clark State College blew past New Hope Christian College in the evening's opener, 85-60.

The Warriors opened the game positively as both senior guard Jordan Carter (Salem, Ore.) and freshman guard AJ Monterossi (Beaverton, Ore.) drove to the rack and finished with strong layups.  Following those plays, sophomore forward Cody Crowe (Grants Pass, Ore.) converted on a couple of layup opportunities to keep the contest close as Simpson led 10-9 with 14:31 remaining in the stanza.

The Redhawks then used a 13-2 run over the next several minutes, to take a 23-11 advantage, and it would be a lead that they would ride into the halftime break at 41-31.  Carter did nail a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to pull the Warriors to within one, but a 4-for-9 effort from the charity strip and a 40.0% shooting effort from the field overall didn't help their cause, ultimately leaving Corban in the 10-point halftime deficit.  During those first 20 minutes, Simpson shot 50.0% from the field and nailed eight shots from downtown en route to the double-digit lead at the break.

Carter sank another shot from beyond the arc to begin the second half, pulling the Warriors to within seven right away.  Simpson responded right back though and did not let up during the early parts of the second half, eventually extending its advantage to 16 points with 8:51 remaining in regulation.

A pair of layups from junior forward Cyrus Ward (Gig Harbor, Wash.) brought Corban to within 12, and then Carter drilled another three-ball to bring the Navy and gold to within single digits again.  Freshman guard Kade Crossland (Buhl, Idaho) then came off the bench for the first time on the evening and connected from distance, bringing the crowd to a roar as Corban was now within just six points.

A few minutes later with just 2:32 on the clock and after a few traded buckets, Crossland again converted for the Warriors, this time making a difficult layup shot to pull Corban (3-2) to within five.  Crossland hit another three with just over 30 seconds remaining, but by that point, the Redhawks had made the necessary free throws in order to seal the contest, ultimately winning by 11 points.

Carter led the way for the Warriors with 17 points and eight boards on 6-of-16 shooting, while Monterossi added 13 points and seven assists.  Ward also pitched in 11 points and eight rebounds, while Crossland, who played in just four minutes of the contest notched eight points on a 3-for-3 shooting effort.  Additionally, sophomore guard Toby Roth (Silverton, Ore.) added seven points and five boards on the night.

For Simpson (4-6), it was Dalton Thacker who recorded a team-best 17 points, while Jonnie Washburn racked up 16.

As a team, the Navy and Gold shot 41.0% from the field, while the Redhawks registered a 46.3% shooting effort overall.  Corban went 7-of-17 from the charity stripe on the night, while also turning the ball over 13 times leading to 14 Simpson points. 

Lewis-Clark State College used a big first half, some hot outside shooting, and a dominant performance on the glass to defeat New Hope Christian College in the night's opener, 85-60.

In the first stanza, the Warriors (7-1) raced to a 28-10 advantage following a three-pointer by senior guard Gavin Kauffman at the 11:24 mark. Although the Deacons (0-10) outscored Lewis-Clark State, 10-7, in the next seven minutes to cut the lead to 15 (35-20), the Warriors closed the frame on a 16-5 run en route to a 51-25 halftime lead.

Lewis-Clark State shot a blistering 71.4% (20-for-28) during the first half while holding New Hope to just a 29.0% (9-for-31) clip. The Warriors also knocked down eight three-pointers in the first 20 minutes of action.

The Warriors opened the second stanza on a 24-9 run to push to their largest lead of the game, 75-34, at the 10:33 mark. The Deacons didn't bow down without a fight, as junior forward Carlos McLeod scored six unanswered points which sparked a 22-5 New Hope run to cut the deficit to 24 (80-56) with 3:11 remaining in the game. But New Hope's effort wasn't enough, as Lewis-Clark State went on to notch its second-straight victory.

Lewis-Clark State was led by the outside presence of senior guard Brady Bagby, as he connected on six three-pointers en route a 20-point effort. The remainder of the Warriors' points came from a variety of players, as senior forward Travis Van Diest, senior guard Gavin Kauffman, and sophomore forward Erik Diouf added nine points apiece. In addition, Van Diest pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

On the other end of the court, three players recorded double figures for New Hope. McLeod finished with a team-high 20 points and six rebounds, while freshman guard Isiah Large and junior forward Taylor Branch tallied 15 and 13 points, respectively.

As a team, the Warriors shot 52.5% (32-for-61) from the floor, while the Deacons only managed a 35.8% (24-for-67) clip. Despite committing a season-high 23 turnovers, Lewis-Clark State kept New Hope at bay thanks to a 48-26 rebounding advantage.

Lewis-Clark State College returns to action on Saturday against Simpson University in Salem, Ore. at 4 p.m., while the New Hope Deacons take on the Corban Warriors in the final game of the Corban Classic at 7 p.m.