Box Score KIRKLAND, Wash. – Southern Oregon bounced back from a slow first half to outscore Northwest by 20 points in the second and claim a 76-61 Cascade Collegiate Conference women's basketball victory Friday night.

Southern Oregon improves to 19-8 overall and 8-7 in conference play, while Northwest falls to 2-21 overall and 1-15 in the CCC. The Raiders return to action Saturday, when they will travel to Olympia for a road matchup against Evergreen.

Melissa Sweat (Bakersfield, Calif./Stockdale) scored a game-high 17 points, while Alexi Smith (Bakersfield, Calif./Stockdale) made seven of her nine shot attempts to total 16 points. Angelica Cahee (Oroville, Calif./) tallied 12 points as the Raiders out-rebounded Northwest 46-35 and out-shot the Eagles 45.8 percent (27-of-59) to 33.3 percent (22-of-66).

Sanda Milovic led Northwest with 16 points, while Ashly Coila and Alyssa Dario each scored 11 and Domi Mendezona finished with 10.

The Raiders shot only 36.7 percent (11-of-30) in the opening half to fall behind 35-30 at the halftime break. Southern Oregon improved on both ends of the ball in the second period, shooting 55.2 percent (16-of-29) while holding Northwest to 25.7 percent shooting (9-of-35) to outscore the Eagles 46-26 and claim the 15-point win. Smith sparked the Raiders' second-half effort with 10 points in the period.

Southern Oregon has now clinched a spot in the 2013 Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament. The Raiders are fifth in the conference standings, two games behind Oregon Tech for the fourth and final hosting spot and two games ahead of Northwest Christian for the sixth spot. If the playoffs started today, SOU would take on Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls on Feb. 20.