COLLEGE PLACE, Wash. – The 11th-ranked Southern Oregon men's basketball team was not without its faults Sunday afternoon at Walla Walla, but a 58-percent effort from the field was more than enough to overcome some sloppy defense in an 84-64 win.

Getting themselves back into a tie for first place in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, the Raiders (14-4 overall, 7-1 CCC) led from start to finish and by as many as 22 points in the first half. They rode the hot hand of sophomore guard Ben DeSaulnier, who went 5-for-6 from downtown and 7-for-11 overall after a four-game stretch in which he shot 35 percent cumulatively. He finished with 22 points and four assists.

The Raiders had struggled mightily in their previous outing, Tuesday's 67-51 loss at Oregon Tech, shooting their lowest percentage from the field (33) in two years. They rebounded with several efficient individual efforts: Clay Sierra (16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals) went 8-of-9, Jordan West (17 points, 7 rebounds) went 8-of-11, and Joel Spear (13 points, 5 assists) went 5-of-6.

SOU went 34-of-59 as a team, including 11-of-24 from 3-point range, and amassed 26 assists to 12 turnovers – padding the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NAIA. Kenny Meyer contributed a game-high six assists.

The Wolves (2-13, 0-8), however, were able to enjoy their second-best shooting day of the season at 47 percent from the field. Ryan Spady had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Ethan Osias scored 13. They trimmed SOU's lead to 61-47 with 8:33 left but never got any closer.

The meeting was the first in CCC play between SOU and Walla Walla, which is new to the conference and the NAIA this season.

The Raiders and Northwest Christian are currently tied atop the CCC standings. Next Friday and Saturday, SOU travels to third-place College of Idaho (6-2 CCC) and fifth-place Eastern Oregon (4-4 CCC), a road trip it hasn't swept in 10 years.