EUGENE, Ore. – Austin Tyner became the sixth player in the NAIA era to hit the 1000-point plateau on Saturday night, getting it on his final basketball before the Beacons succumbed to Southern Oregon University, 87-76.
The Beacons were slow out of the gate, allowing SOU to build a 12-point lead at halftime. NCU climbed within five points with under three minutes to play but the Raiders scored the final six points including four free-throws to secure the win and the season split.
Southern Oregon (18-9, 8-8 CCC) shot 55% in the game and out-rebounded the Beacons 41-26 as they collected ten offensive boards. All five starters finished in double-figures with Tristen Holmes scoring 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting to lead the way. Teron Bradford added 16 points while Tule O’Rourke, Tez Allen, and Jordan Hunt posted eleven points each.
The Beacons (18-9, 10-7) drop to 6-5 on the season in the Morse Event Center, compared to a strong 12-4 record on the road. NCU shot 44% and were just 9-for-26 from three-point range, shooting well below season averages in each category. They also scored their lowest point total since mid-December and were under the 80-point mark for the first just the fourth time this season.
Tyner came into the game needing 17 points to get to 1000 and he did just that, scoring 17 on 7-for-12 shooting including a trio of three-pointers. He moves into tenth on the all-time scoring list. Tyrus Hosley also scored 17 points in a reserve role as the NCU bench out-scored their SOU counterparts, 38-21. Hosley also led NCU with six rebounds and five assists. Davonte Cleveland added 14 points to the cause as he went 8-for-10 at the free-throw line.
NCU honored their five seniors, Tyner, Cleveland, Reece Robinson, Canyon Dwyre, and Thomas Pierson in a pre-game ceremony before their final regular-season home game of the season.
With the win, Southern Oregon improves to .500 in conference play and will head home for their final weekend as they welcome in CCC-leading College of Idaho on Friday and Eastern Oregon on Saturday. The Raiders clinched sixth-place in the conference but could still finish as high as fourth if the cards fall the right direction during the last two games.
The Beacons slip to fourth place with the loss and sit precariously close dropping out of the top-four and losing the opportunity to host a first-round game in the CCC tournament. With only one game to play, NCU is a half-game ahead of Eastern Oregon and one game behind Corban. The Beacons will travel to Salem to take on the Warriors on Saturday night a victory would give NCU third-place but should Eastern win their final two games at Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech, there would be a three-way tie for third.