MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon women's basketball team could not hold on to a late lead against Simon Fraser University on Saturday, falling victim to the late run of the Clan in a 64-57 loss at NPE Gym.
 
Western Oregon (4-7, 1-3 GNAC) would lead for 31:12 of the 40-minute contest, overcoming an early six-point deficit to be in front for a majority of the game. The first half of play highlighted several large statistical differences between the teams, including a 15-6 difference in turnovers with the Wolves the greater offenders. The turnovers were balanced out by WOU's 45.5 percent field goal shooting compared to the 23.5 percent of Simon Fraser (8-6, 3-1 GNAC). The Wolves shot 42 percent from the field for the game, the third time this season they have eclipsed 40 percent in overall shooting.
 
Leading by five heading to the third quarter, Western was able to expand their lead to as many as 10 at 45-35 on the back of their highest-scoring period of the game, dropping 20 points in the third. That lead lasted for most of the fourth quarter, holding a five-point advantage with 4:11 left to play in the game.
 
The Clan powered back with their biggest offensive quarter, scoring 27 in the final period to overcome the game-long deficit and out-score WOU 27-12 in the final period. Georgia Swant hit a 3-pointer with just over three minutes left to give Simon Fraser their first lead of the second half. Western junior Keyonna Jones retaliated with a 3-pointer of her own, but it would prove the final lead of the day for WOU.
 
SFU was led by the 22 points of Jessica Jones, 14 of which was scored in the second half. Jones added on seven rebounds and two assists.
 
"Simon Fraser caught fire in the fourth and we weren't able to answer on the other end," said Western Oregon head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter. "We made it really tough on ourselves by giving them 25 points from our turnovers. Shooters getting hot is going to happen and good players are going to make plays but we have to be able to take care of the ball better, especially down the stretch.  We have to find a way to get the ball to the hot hand.  Tonight that was Shariah (Green) and Amber (Winkler). They did their job and we just didn't get them the ball enough."
 
Amber Winkler recorded her first collegiate double-double, scoring a career-high 14 points and pulling in 10 rebounds; also a career-high. Fellow post Shariah Green also put together her best game with Western, dropping a team-high 17 points and five rebounds on 8-for-11 shooting. The pair combined to anchor the team's scoring as the Wolves scored 24 points in the paint.
 
Protecting the basketball proved a major undoing for Western, committing 25 turnovers in total. It was the most turnovers committed by WOU this season and their highest single-game total since Feb. 16, 2019.
 
"We need to find some consistency from top to bottom as well as from game to game in order to compete in this conference," added Howard-Carpenter.
 
Next up, the Wolves play on the road Tuesday, Jan. 7, at Concordia University and return home Saturday, Jan. 11, to host the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets. Tuesday's game in Portland will take place at 7 p.m. while Saturday's game will commence at 2 p.m. PST inside NPE Gym.