ASHLAND – Freshman guard
Kalei Iwami had the decisive blow as No. 12 Southern Oregon held on for a 74-72 win over Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) after losing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead Friday afternoon at Lithia Motors Pavilion.
In their first loss of the season, the Warriors (7-1) were held to 30-percent shooting but scored seven unanswered points to tie the game, 71-71, with 2:11 left on Cal Moscrip's second-chance bucket. On the other end, an on-ball screen got Iwami free and she stepped into a 3-pointer on the wing for the go-ahead points, helping the Raiders improve to 4-2 in their first on-campus game since 2015.
The Warriors had a handful of chances to tie it: They missed three of four technical free throws (including two of the administrative variety) in the final minute, and on a baseline out-of-bounds play with four-tenths of a second left, Jossilyn Blackman uncontested layup was too strong.
The Raiders shot 36 percent from the field but went 12-of-24 from downtown.
Ariel Augustine was 5-of-7 from 3 and scored a game-high 15 points with six rebounds,
Dominique Harding hit both of her 3-pointers off the bench to total 10 points and six rebounds and
Destinee Jones added 10 points, six boards and two steals.
Syd Fryer had 11 points and five rebounds and
Kenadee Honaker chipped in five points and eight rebounds. Off the bench, where the Raiders 28 points, Iwami and
Delaney Sparling hit two 3-pointers apiece.
LC State's Abbie Johnson had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds and Kiara Burlage nearly joined her with 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
After holding the Raiders without a field goal for the first seven minutes of the game, the Warriors watched SOU hit five triples in the second quarter and stake to a 32-24 halftime advantage.
The game was the Raiders' last prior to Cascade Conference play. They'll travel next weekend to Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho.