Kelsey Mattsen made her first seven shots and finished with a game-high 20 points
Warner Pacific Women Defeat SOU 73-67
BOX SCORE
ASHLAND – Warner Pacific connected on 68 percent of its shots in the first half and held on through a second-half Southern Oregon rally to defeat the Raiders 73-67 in Cascade Collegiate Conference women's basketball action Friday night at Bob Riehm Arena.
Warner Pacific improves to 9-7 overall and 3-2 in the CCC with the win, while the loss drops Southern Oregon’s record to 10-7 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
Kelsey Mattsen hit her first seven shots and finished with 20 points to lead all scorers, with Chelsey Christensen adding 18 points and five assists in the win. Katie Smith tallied 10 points and eight assists for the Knights.
Haley Newell finished with 15 points to lead SOU, with Angelica Cahee adding 10. Warner Pacific shot 68 percent (17-of-25) in the first half as the Knights built a 10-point halftime lead. The Knights' offense picked up assists on WPC's first 16 made baskets.
Warner Pacific came out strong in the second half and pushed the lead back to 16 points at 59-43 and again at 61-45 with just over 10 minutes remaining. Newell knocked down a pair of free throws to start an 11-point SOU streak that pulled the Raiders within five on a RaTanya Newsome three-pointer with 7:10 to play.
The Knights picked up a pair of free throws from Cameryn Calhoun, and Christensen hit a jumper to put the visitors back up by nine, but SOU scored the next seven points and Newell’s trey made it 65-63 with 3:14 to go.
The teams exchanged baskets down the stretch, with Christensen making a pair of shots in the final minutes to keep SOU from tying the game, and Calhoun iced it with a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left.
Warner Pacific finished the game with a 58 percent shooting mark (29-of-50), while Southern Oregon finished with a 31.4 shooting percentage (22-of-70). The Raiders out-rebounded the Knights 42-to-36 and forced 21 turnovers, but WPC held on late for the close victory.