Brenna Anderson (32) had 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
ASHLAND – The Northwest University Eagles are no longer a top-three team in the Cascade Conference. The Southern Oregon University women's basketball team made that clear Friday night while leapfrogging them in the standings with a 95-64 win at Bob Riehm Arena.
The Raiders (20-6 overall, 9-5 CCC) led 48-40 when the Eagles (16-9, 8-5) scored on the first possession of the second half, but proceeded to go on a 17-0 run over the next five minutes.
Kristen Schoenherr's 9-of-11 effort from the field netted 23 points, including six during the rally, Brenna Anderson had 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench, and Ashley Claussen went for seven points and eight assists.
"It's tough to travel in this league," Raiders head coach Lynn Kennedy said. "Their legs may have been gone in the second half and we were able to take advantage of that. When we made that run, that kind of put them away."
While moving into a second-place tie with College of Idaho and Oregon Tech, the Raiders also swept the season series with Northwest and clinched their fifth 20-win season in the last five years. They'll play Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against Evergreen (11-9, 7-6), which won 67-58 Friday at OIT to take away the Owls' sole possession of second place.
The Raider defense kept Northwest at 34.8-percent shooting (23-for-66) and has now held six of its last eight foes below 40.
"We got a better defensive effort tonight and got it out of (NU point guard Domi) Mendezona's hands early, so they had a little trouble setting up offense," Kennedy said.
The Eagles, who came in winners of five straight, got 12 points apiece from Mendezona and Jordan Asher. Asher added team-highs of seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals.
SOU shot a modest 30-for-70 from the floor with a 28-for-38 effort from the line, but took care of the ball and turned it over just 12 times, matching a season-low in conference play. The Raiders also totaled 22 assists and turned Northwest over 21 times.
Anderson and Kiara Moore had three apiece of SOU's 18 offensive rebounds. Allison Gida added two for eight total to go with seven points. Carly Meister had 13 points and four boards, helping the Raiders to a 46-30 advantage in the paint.