SOU's Melissa Sweat lead all scorers with 28 points against Concordia on Friday night.
Sweat Leads SOU past Cavs
BOX SCORE - Concordia vs. Southern Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore.—Despite playing without the Cascade Collegiate Conference leading scorer in Malori Dixon for the first time, the Concordia women’s basketball team showed grit as the Cavs played a tight game with Southern Oregon on Friday before falling 79-73.
Remarkably, neither team led by more than eight points in the game, while the teams played a near-seven minute stretch in the second half in which neither team led by more than a single possession.
A three-pointer from SOU’s Haley Newell broke that streak and gave the Raiders a 63-59 lead with 7:18 left, though Concordia’s Gabi Beyer would score the next five points to give the Cavs the lead back at 64-63.
Unfortunately for Concordia, the game broke the Raiders’ way after that as they responded with a 9-2 run that gave them what would prove to be the decisive lead of the game. The Raiders led 72-66 with 3:04 left after the run and would never let the Cavs closer than four the rest of the way.
The Cavaliers did have a couple chances to get back within one possession at 72-68, but an untimely turnover, followed by a missed free throw on the front end of a one-and-one cost the Cavs those chances.
The Cavs’ final chance to get back within the game came with under a minute left when, up 76-71, SOU’s Melissa Sweat missed the second of two free throws to keep the game within six points. However, Kiara Moore came up with a timely offensive rebound for the Raiders, keeping the ball on the Raiders’ end and forcing the Cavs to foul again. The Cavs did foul with 41 seconds left, but Allison Gida made both free throws for the Raiders this time, putting them up by three possessions at 79-71.
Concordia came back with a layup from Grace Cappleman with 29 seconds left, but then couldn’t get a steal and chose not to foul, giving the Raiders the opportunity to melt the rest of the clock.
The Raiders improve to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in the CCC with the win, while the Cavaliers drop to 5-8 overall and 0-4 in the CCC.
Overall, Sweat dominated the stat sheet on Friday as she posted game-highs of 28 points, four three-pointers and four steals, while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists.
Sweat scored 17 of the Raiders’ first 28 points in the game too, though she eventually found help from Allison Gida, Alexi Smith and Angelica Cahee, all of whom finished the game in double-figures. Gida led the other three with 14 points, while Cahee added 12 and Smith added 11. While playing a support role offensively, Cahee anchored the Raiders’ defensive effort as she finished with three blocks and two steals against the Cavs.
On the Cavs’ side, point guard Kelly Huey posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to go along with five assists and two steals. Beyer topped Huey in points however, as she led the Cavs with 14, while three other players went into double-figures. Cappleman led the group behind Beyer and Huey with 11 points, while Rand McReynolds and Caitlyn McCutcheon each added 10.
Both teams return to action tomorrow, Dec. 22 as the Raiders head across town to face Warner Pacific, while the Cavs host Oregon Tech. Both games will tip off at 5:30 p.m.