SOU Holds Off Cascade
ASHLAND, Ore. -- Jacki Speer, So, Centralia, WA had a double-double 13 points, 13 rebounds in leading the Southern Oregon University Raider women's basketball team to a 71-54 win over Cascade College Saturday night at McNeal Pavilion.
With the win, SOU has won five consecutive games and has run its season record to 17-3. Most important, combined with Eastern Oregon's upset loss to Concordia, puts the Raiders one game behind EOU at the halfway mark of league play. Cascade fell to 3-7 in Cascade Conference play and 10-10 overall.
SOU held Cascade to just 6-30 shooting in the first or 20% in building a 37-21 halftime lead. The teams played even in the second half as Coach Lynn Kennedy played all twelve players and all twelve scored for the second consecutive night.
Whitney Scott led all scorers with 19 points for SOU, Rhiannon Dickison chipped in 12. The Raiders leading scorer Chelsey Muri was held to a season low 2 points on 1-9 field goal shooting. Muri was plagued by foul trouble most of the night and played only 22 minutes.
Cascade was led by Te Awhina Aranui with 17 points and Robin Swain added 13. Cascade ended up shooting 27% for the game on 18-65 shooting.
SOU had a big rebounding edge in the same 58-43, were 14-23 from the free throw line while Cascade was 14-18 in free throws. Turnovers ended up 17 Cascade; 16 for SOU.
The Raiders, off to their best start since 1998-99's NAIA Final Four team plays at Northwest and Evergreen State this coming weekend.