SOU-Black Hills State Boxscore

The Southern Oregon women's basketball team shot 16 percent in the first half and never recovered, falling to Black Hills State 66-58 tonight in the first round of the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa.

The third-seeded and 11th-ranked Yellow Jackets improved to 25-7 win the victory and will face Kansas Wesleyan Friday night in the Sweet 16. SOU's season comes to an end at 25-7.

Tiffany Thomas led Black Hills State with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Senior Rhiannon Dickison (Redding, Calif./Anderson) led SOU with 12 points. Whitney Scott (Tumwater, Wash./Black Hills) and Ashley Baker (Grand Junction, Colo./Fruita) both finished with nine points. Baker added a game-high 12 rebounds.

The 23rd-ranked Raiders had two huge trouble spots in the first half – the first five minutes and the final five minutes.

Black Hills State took advantage of three straight SOU turnovers to lead 6-0 and then led 15-2 with 14:27 to play in the first half, after the Raiders opened the game connecting on just 2 of 10 shots.

The Raiders forced their way back into the game thanks to an impressive defensive effort. SOU held Black Hills State to four points over a seven minute stretch and a 3-pointer by Dickison with 7:32 to play in the first half cut the Yellow Jackets' lead to 19-15.

SOU remained close at 22-17 with a pair of free throws by Lindsey Scheffler (Castle Rock, Wash./Toutle Lake) with 5:12 left, but Black Hills State took over in the final five minutes of the half.

A 9-4 run to close the half gave Black Hills State a 31-21 lead at halftime.

SOU shot 16 percent (6-for-37) from the field in the first half and 18 percent (3-for-16) from the 3-point line.

The Yellow Jackets tried to put any hopes of an SOU comeback to rest early in the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers by Brittany Fuhrman. The Raiders turned the ball over four times in the first four minutes of the half and Black Hills State seemed to be cruising at 41-25.

The Raiders cut the lead to 53-42 late in the second half, but a 3-pointer by Kristi Ryan quickly put the Jackets back in control.

A layup by Baker cut it to nine at 62-53 with 1:20 to play, but Black Hills State was able to ice the game at the free throw line.

SOU finished the game shooting 26 percent (19-for-71).