Jenneca Crocker scored 13 second-half points during the Beacons attempted comeback.
EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University women’s basketball team played even with the defending CCC champions on Saturday night, but couldn’t ever cross over in a 62-58 loss to Southern Oregon University.
NCU grabbed the first lead of the game on an opening jumper by McKenzie Gambee on built a 4-1 advantage after a second bucket from the senior Forward. A 7-0 run for the Raiders gave the lead back to SOU, and Southern Oregon built their lead to five, 14-9. Kelsey Bolander soon hit a three-pointer, sparking an 8-0 rally that also featured five unanswered points from Elise Gray as the Beacons reclaimed a 17-14 advantage.
The game of streaks continued as Southern Oregon again went on an 8-0 streak, capped off by an Ashley Baker jumper. The Raiders would hang on for a 24-20 lead at half-time, after an opening 20 minutes marked by 33 combined turnovers from the teams. Gray had nine points in the half for NCU with the Raiders Whitney Scott answering with eight.
The Beacons quickly tied the game to open the second half, but SOU kept control and continued to press as they amassed a 16-point lead, 58-42 with 3:47 left to play. NCU would make a late charge to close the gap and a three-pointer from Katey Monteith at the buzzer made the game appear much closer than it was with the four-point final margin.
Southern Oregon (12-4, 4-3 CCC) was led off the bench by Emily Bookins, scoring a game-high 14 points. Scott finished with 12 and Jackie Speer, one of the top scorers in the conference, was held to just one point but secured a game-high 12 rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
Northwest Christian (6-11, 1-7 CCC) was led in defeat by Gambee with 13 points and eight rebounds. Jenneca Crocker came off the bench with another 13 for NCU, scoring all of her points during the second half rally. Gray ended the night with ten points and five boards and Monteith added eight points and four assists.
The Beacons will be back in action next weekend as they travel to play in Washington. NCU visits The Evergreen State University (7-7, 2-5) on Saturday and will then head to Northwest University (5-12, 3-5) on Saturday. Both games are slated for 5:30 pm start times.