PORTLAND, Ore. -- A strong second half leads the Loggers to a 73-66 win over the Lewis and Clark River Otters, placing them one step closer to a Northwest Conference Tournament berth.
How it Happened
The Loggers took some time to get into the game, as the River Otters jumped out to a quick 2-5 lead. Camen Cruz,
Natalia Sefair-Lopez, and
Claire Thompson all got their first buckets of the afternoon, tying the game at eight apiece. Lewis & Clark went on a 6-0 run shortly after, but two more layups by Thompson and
Grace Lee pulled the Loggers within two at the end of the first.
The River Otters came into the second quarter firing yet again, extending their lead to 18-12.
Paige Oh scored the next five Logger points, giving Puget Sound some momentum.
Savannah Pohl then tied the game up at 20 apiece, and a Sefair-Lopez four-point play gave the Loggers their first lead of the game. The River Otters went on a 9-0 run, but back-to-back triples by Cruz and
Hailey Quiggle made it 30-33 heading into halftime.
It was the Loggers turn to take control in the start of the second half, retaking the lead thanks to buckets by Thompson and Oh. A tough Cruz and-one made it 41-37, and another Cruz bucket pulled the Logs ahead by five. She continued to shine, drilling a three to give her 15 points on the evening. A couple more buckets back-and-forth made it a 50-47 game heading into the fourth, as the Loggers turned a six-point swing in the third.
After a quick River Otter bucket, Oh drilled a three to open the Logger scoring. Lewis & Clark tied the game at 55 apiece, but an 8-1 Logger run gave them the reins. Sefair-Lopez and
Mele Sake both drained threes, as Sake hit another jumper during their run. The River Otters made it a game, though, as with 2:37 left, they cut the Logger lead to one. Oh then drained a pull-up three, and a couple of solid defensive stops kept the Loggers ahead. One free-throw game later, and the Loggers take this one, 73-66.
Top Performers
Cruz had yet another solid performance, putting up 17 points, 2 rebounds, on 6-17 shooting from the field. Oh also had a solid night, finishing with 17 points and shooting 75% from deep.
Autumn Hill had a great defensive game, finishing with a game-high 9 rebounds and five blocks.
What Happens Next
The Loggers come back home for a mid-week game against cross-town rival Pacific Lutheran on Tuesday, February 3rd. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 pm.
