Southern Oregon Holds On for Road Win at Concordia

Concordia returns to the court tonight when it hosts Oregon Tech at 7:30 PM.

Salem-News.com Sports

PORTLAND, Ore. - Leading for all but the first minute of the game, Southern Oregon narrowly escaped a last-minute comeback from Concordia to earn its first Cascade Collegiate Conference win of the season with a 69-65 win over the Cavaliers.

With the result, SOU improved to 5-10 on the year and 1-4 in the CCC while Concordia dropped to 5-8 overall and 1-3 in the CCC.

With the opening bucket by Cody Aker (Portland, Ore./Wilson H.S.), Concordia took the first lead of the game, but Kory Mahr and Matt Cowell didn’t let the lead last long as the duo posted 23 points in the first period to boost SOU. Mahr’s shot at the 19:02 mark in the first tied the game at two while Cowell’s layup 17 seconds later would spur the Raiders to an eight-point lead in the first.

Cowell’s scoring would not letup in the second period as the senior guard erupted for 19 second-half points, including a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point range, for a game-high 32 points.

SOU would stretch the cushion to 13 with just over 13 minutes remaining only to see the Cavs whittle the lead away to a one-possession contest after a successful layup and follow-up free throw shot by Desmond Meray (Spanaway, Wash./Bethel H.S.) made it a 66-64 contest with a minute to play.

Slowing the pace, Ryon Pool sunk the clincher for the Raiders with a layup with 33 seconds remaining. Both teams would hit a single free throw for the 69-65 finale.

Meray led the Cavs with 18 points after shooting 8-of-16 from the floor. Aker and Matt Ochs (Clackamas, Ore./Clackamas H.S.) shared the team lead with seven rebounds. Pool added a game-high nine rebounds to 18 points in 33 minutes of action for SOU.

Concordia returns to the court tonight when it hosts Oregon Tech at 7:30 PM.

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