Alexi Smith
Alexi Smith goes up for a shot during the first half. (Photo courtesy of Liza Safford.)
79
Winner Southern Oregon SOU 17-2, 8-2 CCC
66
College of Idaho CIW 6-13, 5-5 CCC
Winner
Southern Oregon SOU
17-2, 8-2 CCC
79
Final
66
College of Idaho CIW
6-13, 5-5 CCC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Southern Oregon SOU 38 41 79
College of Idaho CIW 36 30 66

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | SOU Sports Information

SOU dominates late to sweep season series with Yotes

CALDWELL, Idaho – The Southern Oregon University women's basketball team has had no shortage of individuals step up this season while climbing to No. 12 in the NAIA Division II rankings. Senior forward Brenna Anderson (Burlington, Wash./Burlington-Edison) took her turn getting the Raiders through a rough patch Friday night at College of Idaho.

The Raiders defeated the Yotes, 79-66 at the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, improving to 17-2 overall and 8-2 in the Cascade Conference and setting up Saturday's clash at Eastern Oregon that will break a first-place tie in the standings.

Ashley Claussen (Scotts Valley, Calif./Santa Cruz) logged 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Alexi Smith (Bakersfield, Calif./Stockdale) had 17 points and three rebounds, and Carly Meister (Elma, Wash./Elma) registered her first double-double – 17 points and 13 rebounds to go with five assists, two blocks and a steal – since her 10th one of last season.

The Yotes (6-12, 5-4) were led by Haylee Burnham's 20 points and 15 apiece from Kellie Ross and Elisha Hensey.
 
It was Anderson, though, who sparked the momentum-swinging sequence.  The senior forward – who has missed time due to injury and made her last 3-pointer over a month ago – broke a 51-51 deadlock when the Raiders swung it around to her at the top of the key for a triple with 11 minutes left.

After a Yote basket, Anderson followed a missed jumper on the other end for a put-back at the hoop. She then blocked Hensey's attempted layup, and Autumn Durand (Onalaska, Wash./Onalaska)'s free throws moments later made it 56-51.

That was the foundation of a 20-4 run, which was capped by Claussen's fourth 3-pointer of the game to make it 71-55 with under four minutes remaining. Claussen is now 15-for-27 from outside in SOU's last four games.

Kristen Schoenherr (Rainier, Wash./Rainier) had 10 points, four steals, four rebounds and three assists for the Raiders.

C of I was held to 30-percent shooting (20-for-66) from the field. Five straight SOU opponents have shot below 40 percent.

SOU also defeated the Yotes at home earlier this season, 112-70 on Dec. 20. The Raiders hadn't completed a regular-season sweep of the Yotes since the 2006-07 season, and hadn't won in Caldwell since Jan. 30, 2009.

The Raiders last won a regular-season game at Eastern Oregon that same season. The Mountaineers, who are the defending conference champions, beat Oregon Tech 78-66 on Friday in La Grande..
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