Southern Oregon Handles Cascade
ASHLAND, Ore. -- Nothing has come easy for Brian McDermott and his SOU men's basketball team. Saturday night was no different, as SOU was a big lead whittle away to four with less a minute to play but hung on for a 78-69 win over Cascade College at McNeal Pavilion.
The win improves SOU's season record to 7-13 and 3-7 in Cascade Conference play. Cascade College falls to 5-13 overall and remains winless in league play at 0-10.
SOU jumped in front by 7 points at halftime 41-34. The Raiders build up a 34-22 lead at the 7:34 mark in the half thanks to 11 points by Matt Cowell and six each by Josh McDermott and Kory Mahr. Ben Pawlak had 15 for Cascade at the break.
In the final 20 minutes, SOU again built up a big lead of twenty points 71-51 on a basket by Trenton Fraser with 5:52 left in the game. But, Cascade wouldn't go away again and stormed back out scoring SOU 18-8 over the final five minutes with Erving Adams scoring 10 points in the push and Kenan Powell adding another six. Cascade closed the gap to 72-67 with :51 second remaining in the game.
Trenton Fraser and Ryon Pool each made two free throws and David Grant scored a lay in in the final seconds preserving SOU's third conference win.
Kory Mahr, had a big night for SOU scoring a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Pool ended up with 13 points, Cowell, 11, Nate Rooney also had 11 points for SOU who shot 29-64 or 45% for the game.
Cascade ended up shooting 27-67 or 40% for the game. SOU out rebounded Cascade 49-40, Free throws SOU 12-17, Cascade 9-18, and SOU also made 8 three point field goals compared to 6-24 for Cascade. Nate Rooney had three three pointers for the Raiders.
SOU plays at Northwest and Evergreen State next weekend before returning home February 1 and 2 against EOU and C of I.