ASHLAND – The No. 11 Warrior women continued their journey through the postseason with a big win over No. 22 Oregon Tech on Friday and will take on top-seeded No. 18 Southern Oregon on Monday in the title round of the Cascade Conference Women’s Basketball Championship, presented by U.S. Bank.
The Warriors split with SOU during the regular season with a victory at home and a loss in the regular-season finale. The Raiders are the regular-season champions and earned the CCC’s first automatic bid to the national tournament. Regardless of Monday’s outcome, LC State will receive the conference’s second automatic bid.
The contest is a rematch of the CCC title game from two years ago in which SOU won in Lewiston.
No. 2 Seed –LC State Warriors (25-4, 19-3)
The Warriors and Raiders split the regular season. LC State took the contest in Lewiston 68-42 while SOU won in Ashland 60-58.
Callie Stevens and Ellie Sander led the way in scoring for the Warriors at home against Southern Oregon. Stevens totaled 25 points with 10 made field goals and Sander added 15 with three steals and four assists. LC State had 19 assists on 25 made baskets in the contest and outrebounded SOU 43-36 while forcing 23 turnovers.
The Raiders edged LC State on the road with a basket in the final seconds. Stevens led the charge there with 23 points and Sitara Byrd grabbed 10 rebounds.
LC State leads the CCC in scoring average with 76.4 points per game. The Warriors are also the top Cascade Conference team in scoring margin (17.0), field goal percentage (.464), 3-point field goal percentage (.350), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.277), assists per game (18.1), steals per game (11.6), turnover margin (4.90) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4). LC State has been one of the best offensive teams and ball-handling teams all season.
At the national level, the Warriors rank seventh in the NAIA in field goal percentage and sixth in assists per game.
Lindsey Wilson leads the conference in field goal percentage (.557). Ellie Sander leads in assist/turnover ratio (2.0), is second in assists per game (3.9), third 3-point percentage (.390), fifth in field goal percentage (.507), and fifth in steals per game (2.2). Stevens is fourth in the CCC in scoring average with 17.3 points per game and third in 3-pointers made per game (2.8). She is second assist/turnover ratio (1.8). Byrd is third in field goal percentage (.521) and fourth in steals per game (2.3). Darian Herring is second in the CCC in blocked shots per game (1.7).
No. 1 Seed – No. 18 Southern Oregon Raiders (26-4, 20-2)
Southern Oregon defeated LC State in an upset win in the regular-season finale to claim the CCC regular-season title. The Raiders defeated Corban 71-55 and Eastern Oregon 53-44 to advance to the tournament title game.
Meghan McIntyre, SOU’s leading scorer, tallied 20 points in the win in Ashland a few ago while Kami Walk scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Walk led the scoring in Lewiston with 18 points as the only Raider in double-digits.
SOU leads the CCC in scoring defense (52.7) and blocked shots per game (4.9).
Sierra Scheppele leads the Cascade in 3-point field goal percentage (.401) and fifth in 3-pointers made per game (2.1). Kami Walk is second in the conference in free throw percentage (.891). Clara Robbins is second in blocked shots per game (1.7).
THE DETAILS
Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. on Monday in the Ashland. The contest will be streamed by Southern Oregon. LC State and the Hells Canyon Grand Hotel will host a local watch party at MJ Barleyhoppers that is open for fans to attend.
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.
