Raiders hold off Mounties 77-68 in battle for first place

1/14/2017 7:51:00 PM

SOU Sports Information

ASHLAND – The NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Game of the Week lived up to its billing, and so did fourth-ranked Southern Oregon as it fought off No. 17 Eastern Oregon for a 77-68 triumph Saturday night at Mountain Avenue Gym.

In a clash between the Cascade Conference's last two unbeaten teams, the Raiders (16-1 overall, 9-0 CCC) extended their win streak to 16 games and took over sole possession of first place behind Autumn Durand's 19 points and seven boards and a stellar defensive effort down the stretch.

The night featured 13 lead changes and six ties. Maya Ah You totaled 22 points and six rebounds for the Mountaineers (15-3, 8-1), who had won 10 straight coming into the weekend.

EOU was in a 31-20 hole early when Ah You nailed a 3-pointer that beat the first-quarter buzzer and started a 10-0 spurt. Another buzzer-beating trey by Jessica Sexton cut SOU's lead to 44-43 at halftime, and Ah You and Sexton made consecutive buckets to start the third quarter and give the Mountaineers their largest lead at 48-44.

After that, however, EOU went six minutes without a field goal. With the Raiders down 55-54, Sydney Mullings hit a jumper and then came up with a steal that led to Tiani Bradford's bucket. With four seconds left in the third, Bradford got a steal and fed Demi Sahlinger for a buzzer-beating jumper to put SOU up 61-55.

Mullings, making her first appearance after a four-game absence, recorded 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Bradford had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Sahlinger went for 12 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Sahlinger came up big again to start the fourth, hitting a 3-pointer and a jumper on back-to-back possessions that gave SOU a 67-58 advantage with less than seven minutes to play. EOU didn't get within seven points for the rest of the night.

After setting a school record for 3-point makes with 17 last Sunday against Walla Walla, the Raiders were hot again from outside at 11-of-26. Durand went 4-for-4 during the first half. Toria Bradford – who added 10 points and four assists – delivered the back-breaking 3, a step-back that made it 72-61 with 4:03 to go.

The Raiders have now put together three 16-game win streaks in the last two years. They'll try to make it 17 at 1 p.m. Sunday against College of Idaho.