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Raider comeback nips Owls KLAMATH FALLS - The 22nd-ranked Southern Oregon University women's basketball team Thursday night received clutch performances from a cadre of seniors in a 98-92 come-from-behind overtime triumph over Oregon Tech at Miles Court. The key win preserved sole possession of first place in the league regular-season title chase and staked the Raiders (16-8, 13-1) to a two-game lead over the second-place Owls (16-8, 11-3) with four loop contests remaining. "It was just a great basketball game," SOU coach Kevin Wilson said. "Not many teams go into (Miles Court) and get a win. Our senior leadership really made a difference tonight." Senior all-star point guard Sara Marks netted a career-high 36 points, while her running mate, senior Kelley Dexter, compiled the school's first triple-double in at least 10 years with 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Southern trailed 79-69 with 3:03 remaining in regulation, but senior all-star forward Kara Magee-Arick nailed a pair of 3-pointers and Marks converted two game-tying free throws with 32 seconds left in a 13-3 rally that forced overtime after Owl guard Katya Spiecker missed a last-second 3-pointer. Marks and Dexter each connected from beyond the arc to help give SOU an insurmountable seven-point edge halfway through the extra period. Marks, who went 11-for-21 from the floor and 11-for-12 at the free throw line, finished with the school's seventh-highest game scoring output ever and the most in a contest since 1994. She also tallied a game-high six steals as well as four assists and four rebounds. Magee-Arick, who finished with 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, nailed four triples to move into third-place on the school's career 3-point makes list (116). OIT forward and former Raider player Jaime Stanford scored 18 points before fouling out in overtime, while forward Jennie Kooch had 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Techsters outrebounded SOU 51-37, but three key missed free throws in the closing 66 seconds of regulation prevented the first-year intercollegiate program from avenging an earlier season 76-66 loss in Ashland and from pulling into a tie for the league lead. SOU is now two wins away from clinching the school's fourth conference title over the past six years and earning an automatic NAIA Div. II tournament berth entering a Valentine's Day home tilt against Eastern Oregon. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -