ASHLAND, OR – Southern Oregon, receiving votes in the national poll, bested No. 12 LC State Women’s Basketball with a barrage of 3-pointers on Saturday. The Raiders outshot the Warriors from distance despite LC State’s rebounding edge for a 71-60 final score.
“Winning on the road is incredibly tough and that is a very hard trip to win on,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “Unfortunately, we came up short this weekend. But I know this team is tough, works hard and will regroup next week at practice and be better than we were this weekend.”
The loss has the LC State record at 16-6 overall and 10-4 in Cascade Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lindsey Wilson, Sitara Byrd and Payton Hymas combined for a 5-0 run to start the contest. The senior class continued to fuel the offense as tallies by Byrd and Hymas pushed the margin to 12-7. SOU turned the tables to go on a run of its own and take a 16-14 lead in the final minute of the frame, and the Raiders held an 18-16 edge after 10 minutes.
Southern Oregon pulled away for a 24-18 lead in the second quarter before four points from Byrd cut the deficit to 24-22 at 6:55. SOU kept the offensive pressure up from 3-point range as baskets by Kendall Wallace, Hymas and Byrd kept the game within reach. Free throws by Wilson cut the difference to 37-32 at halftime.
Hymas and Byrd got the LC State offense going in the second half, but SOU surged to pull ahead 51-38 by 2:54 in the third. Camden Barger scored four straight to cut the deficit to 53-45 in the final minute of the frame.
Barger found Herring for the first basket of the final quarter, and a pair of 3-pointers by Tatum Brager made it a one-point game, 59-58, with 3:09 on the clock. Brager continued her attack with another basket, but SOU could not be stopped from 3-point range.
STAT RECAP
Byrd led LC State with 19 points on an 8-for-10 night from the field and Herring notched a double-double with 12 rebounds and 11 points.
The Warriors shot 42.9% from the floor and held SOU to 39.3%, but the Raiders made 10 3-pointers and went 17-for-20 from the free throw line. LC State had the rebound edge at 35-30.
