Western Oregon University Wolves

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Forwards Jasmine Miller and Savannah Heugly led WOU scorers in double figures, but stifling defense from Southern Oregon proved too much to overcome, as the shorthanded Western Oregon women's basketball team dropped a 72-50 contest to the Raiders on Monday evening in the New P.E. Building.
 
Western Oregon (4-4) played even with the team that finished national runner-up in the NAIA ranks for the opening 11 minutes. But after a Heugly jumper opened the second quarter, Southern Oregon (9-1) responded with an 11-0 run to grab a stranglehold on the action. The Raiders led by double figures nearly the rest of the game.
 
"SOU you came to play night, just like they do every night," Western Oregon head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said. "They are a talented group and they are flat out tough."
 
The Wolves, playing three players short of their normal rotation due to injury and illness, did not wilt despite the SOU pressure defensively.
 
"I'm extremely disappointed with our effort and especially our lack of focus tonight," Howard-Carpenter said. "We played on our heels and looked to pass rather than attack.  We handled the press but made poor decisions in the halfcourt that gave them way too many extra opportunities.  We didn't execute our scout either and that's so important when you're playing good teams."
 
Trailing by nine at the break, 31-22, Western Oregon was not able to trim the Southern Oregon lead despite shooting 40 percent (10-25) over the final 20 minutes.
 
Tori Cambra worked to get open on the wing to hit WOU's first 3-pointer late in the third quarter. The Wolves connected just twice on 13 attempts from distance while the Raiders were 8-of-18 from behind the arc for the night.
 
"I'm extremely proud of how Tori played coming off the bench, she was the bright spot tonight," Howard-Carpenter said.
 
Western Oregon shot 36 percent for the game and 75 percent (12-16) from the foul line. Heugly finished with a team-high 13 points in 26 minutes. Miller closed the game with her second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. She added four assists in 33 minutes. Cambra was the high scorer off the bench with seven points.
 
Autumn Durand led three SOU players in double figures with an 18-point, 10 rebound double-double.
 
The loss ended a four-game home set for WOU, which included two league matchups.
 
"We have to bounce back this week, compete hard and get better before we hit the road," Howard-Carpenter added.
 
Western Oregon, which plays seven of its next nine games on the road, returns to action when it travels to Arcata, Calif. on Saturday (Dec. 17) for the non-conference finale against Humboldt State. Tip is scheduled for 5 p.m. from Lumberjack Arena.