NAIA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Ashland, Ore. | Lithia Motors Pavilion
Friday's Games (Round of 64)
(5) Menlo (Calif.) 74, (12) Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 67
(4) Southern Oregon 56, (13) Antelope Valley (Calif.) 49
Saturday's Game (Round of 32)
4 p.m. – (4) Southern Oregon vs. (5) Menlo (Calif.)
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ASHLAND – Even in the midst of a spotless 18-game streak, the Southern Oregon women's basketball team is not above winning ugly. Especially when it comes to keeping the season alive.
The No. 4-seeded Raiders did what they needed to nullify a 30% shooting display in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament, fending off an upset an upset bid issued by No. 13 seed Antelope Valley (Calif.) to survive 56-49 on Friday night at Lithia Motors Pavilion.
Despite its lowest field-goal clip in 19 games, SOU (28-4 overall) led for the final 35 minutes and moved on to play in the second round at 4 p.m. Saturday against No. 5 seed Menlo (Calif.), which advanced with a 74-67 win against No. 12 seed Lindsey Wilson (Calif.). The Raiders are among the last 32 teams standing for the third consecutive season.
With the outside shots going awry, their physicality inside was the difference. Junior forward Clara Robbins had a double-double by halftime and totaled 13 points, 12 rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals. Senior forward Kami Walk, after her slowest start of the season, came alive in the fourth quarter to finish with 16 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks. Between them, they accounted for 11 of SOU's 15 offensive rebounds and limited the Pioneers (20-11) to eight.
All-star point guard Meghan McIntyre provided a steady hand again, going for 19 points, six assists and three steals.
After going up by 11 points in the third quarter, however, the Raiders' lead was down to 42-41 after Janae Turner's jumper with 9:39 to go. Mallory Williams' 3-pointer on the next possession pushed it back to four points, but another Turner bucket at the 5:50 mark cut it to 47-45.
McIntyre then found Walk for the answer – her first 3-pointer of the evening – and SOU went on to force turnovers on its next three defensive trips. Leading 52-47 with 29 seconds left, Robbins hit Walk in the paint for a layup that sealed the win.
The Pioneers – led by Turner's 12 points and Malaysia Lucero's 10 points and nine boards – wrapped up at 32% from the field. The offensive-rebounding discrepancy and their 16 turnovers resulted in their getting up 14 fewer attempts than the Raiders.
The Raiders have scored 60 points or fewer in four of their last five games, winning each of them anyway. UAV became their 11th consecutive visitor that failed to reach the 60-point mark.
The game was the last in the history of the UAV, whose school folded under financial strain last month. The Pioneers won the California Pacific Conference amid the adversity.
Menlo enters Saturday's game with a 19-8 record and was ranked No. 23 in the final NAIA coaches' poll. The Golden State Athletic Conference representatives received an at-large bid to play in the tourney and lost their first matchup against SOU at home on Dec. 8, 71-68, in a game that Walk untied with a late 3-pointer.