Cavs Stop Southern's Nine-Game Win Streak
PORTLAND, Ore.—Facing a team with nine straight wins, the Concordia University women’s basketball team used a 16-3 run to start the second period to defeat Southern Oregon 68-52 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action at the Cavalier Gymnasium.
With the result, Concordia moved back to .500 with a 7-7 overall mark and jumped into a tie for second place in the CCC with a 3-1 conference record. Southern Oregon dropped to 12-3 on the season with a 3-2 mark in the CCC. It was SOU’s first lost since a 78-80 setback in overtime against Eastern Oregon on Nov. 30.
Danielle Clauson (Edmonds, Wash./King’s H.S.) and Denise Benedict (Ridgefield, Wash./Prairie H.S.) combined for 20 first-half points, including 10 of the team’s first 13 points in the game to give the Cavs a 13-2 advantage after the opening tip.
The Raiders would scratch back into the game late in the period, eventually nodding the score at 25 with a three-point shot from Rhiannon Dickison at the 4:37 mark. Holding on to a one-point lead Maryam Razavi (Tulatin, Ore./Tualitin H.S.) hit the final score in the half with a jumper with 26 seconds left to give the Cavs a bit more breathing room before the Cavs once again stormed out of the gate in the second.
After going scoreless in the opening frame, Kelsey Schaefer (Vancouver, Wash./Evergreen H.S.) took the offense on her shoulders following intermission with 10 of the squad’s first 13 points en route to another double-digit lead for the Cavaliers. Concordia would eventually generate a 24-point cushion via a pair of free throws by Joyce Oniah (Portland, Ore./Franklin H.S.) with five minutes remaining before settling for the 16-point win.
“SOU has been winning a lot of games and to defeat a team like that it takes an overall great team effort,” Concordia head coach Aaron Christian said. “I couldn’t be more proud of this team in how they are working hard and getting to see the fruits of their labor. We are throwing a lot of different things at this young team, but they are picking it up and taking control.”
Clauson, a freshman, led the team in scoring for the eighth time this season after a 20-point haul. Razavi flirted with a ‘double double’ after recording nine points and grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.
Ten different players scored for the Raiders with Jackie Speer and Whitney Scott leading the team with nine points.
Concordia returns to action on Saturday when they host Oregon Tech at 5:30 p.m.