RAIDER WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (5-3)
Dec. 5-6 | Ashland, Ore. (Lithia Motors Pavilion) | Tickets
5:30 p.m. Friday – vs. Northwest (3-4) | Stream | Live Stats
3 p.m. Saturday – vs. Evergreen (0-1) | Stream | Live Stats

ASHLAND – Another Cascade Conference title defense begins this weekend for the Southern Oregon women's basketball team at Lithia Motors Pavilion, 5:30 p.m. Friday against Northwest (Wash.) and 3 p.m. Saturday against Evergreen (Wash.).

While compiling a 5-3 record in non-conference play, the Raiders provided reason to believe over the last few weeks that their young roster may be ahead of schedule. After starting 0-2 and dropping out of the NAIA Top 25, they won five of their last six in a stretch highlighted by a 68-57 upset of NCAA Division II squad Chico State (Calif.). The Eagles (3-4) were picked eighth and the Geoducks (0-1) ninth in the CCC preseason poll, which had the Raiders third behind Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) and Oregon Tech.

STILL STREAKING: SOU's school-record regular-season winning streak ended at 42 games on Oct. 31, but a few other streaks are intact heading into conference play. The Raiders have won 18 in a row at home, 19 in a row at home in CCC games, and 36 in a row overall in conference play dating back to the 2023-24 season. Last year they became the first team to run the table in CCC play since Eastern Oregon in 2017-18. They've won back-to-back conference championships and will attempt to become the third school ever to pull off a CCC three-peat.

A McINTYRE (ON) FIRE: Given she led the CCC in 3-point percentage (44.1) and makes (90) a season ago, Bridgette McIntyre's 3-of-21 start from downtown during SOU's 0-2 opening weekend may have been alarming to some. The senior guard has quelled all concerns by going 24-of-52 (46.2%) from 3 since, hitting at least four triples in five of her last six outings. McIntyre, the team's only returning starter from 2024-25, leads SOU in scoring at 14.6 points and has raised her rebounding average to 5.1. Eliza DiGiulio – the reigning CCC Sixth Woman of the Year – has jumped into the starting lineup with averages of 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 14-of-30 (46.7%) downtown.

THE KIDS FROM CRATER: Few true freshmen have been as immediately impactful in recent SOU history as Crater High products Sage Winslow and Lydia Traore. Winslow, a 5-foot-8 guard, has already scored 12 or more points on five occasions and is averaging 11.3 with 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Traore, a 6-2 forward, has registered back-to-back double-doubles and is putting up 6.4 points and 6.3 boards. The last time a Raider freshman averaged double figures in points was Autumn Durand in 2013-14; the last time a freshman turned in consecutive double-doubles was Courtney Setzer (another Crater grad) in 2015-16.

HOME HISTORY: With an unbeaten showing last month in the Raider Classic, SOU improved to 60-5 at home in five seasons under head coach Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt. Of those 65 opponents, 51 have failed to score 60 points. Since moving into Lithia Motors Pavilion in 2018-19, the Raiders are 77-12 at home with a 55-9 record in conference games.

IN THE RANKINGS: In the second NAIA coaches' poll of the regular season, released Nov. 26, the Raiders were outside of the Top 25 but still receiving votes at No. 38 overall. The CCC had three teams in: No. 10 Lewis-Clark State, No. 21 Oregon Tech and No. 22 Corban. The next poll will be released Dec. 17.

ABOUT NORTHWEST: Coming off a 7-21 season in which they missed the CCC Tournament at 6-16, the Eagles are led by an all-underclassman backcourt of sophomore Kaleah Medeiros (14.6 points, 3.5 assists) and freshman Ellie Bost (11.3 points). They've won handily against their only NAIA opponents, Cal Maritime and Pacific Union, while going 1-4 against NCAA D2 and D3 competition. SOU is 51-9 in the series, has won 10 straight matchups, and last lost to the Eagles in Ashland 18 years ago.

ABOUT EVERGREEN: The Geoducks advanced to the CCC Tournament last spring for the third consecutive season – going out with a 77-44 quarterfinal loss at SOU – but had to replace every regular rotation player from their eighth-place squad. They've only played one counter to this point, a 104-77 loss at Western Oregon, and dropped two exhibition games by an average of 53. Bayleigh Harder, a 6-1 senior who transferred from Mayville State, led them with 27 points at WOU. SOU is 45-10 all-time against Evergreen with wins in eight consecutive matchups and 23 of the last 24.