PORTLAND, Ore. — The Lewis & Clark College women's basketball team used a strong second half and clutch free-throw shooting to secure a 73-67 Northwest Conference victory over the University of Puget Sound on Saturday night at Pamplin Sports Center. The win snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Loggers and marked the Pioneers' first home conference victory since February 11, 2022.
 
THE BASICS
 
Lewis & Clark 73, Puget Sound 67
(Lewis & Clark 4-11, 1-5 NWC)
(Puget Sound 5-10, 4-2 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

Sophomore Madilyn Palosi led all players with a career-high 24 points, shooting a remarkable 6-of-8 from beyond the arc. Junior Lauryn Frederickson added 16 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Divinity Singleton contributed 11 points and seven boards off the bench.

Frederickson gave the Pioneers an early 4-3 lead just two minutes into the game with back-to-back jump shots, but the Loggers controlled the next seven minutes. Using an up-tempo attack and full-court press, Puget Sound forced nine turnovers in the first quarter. Undeterred, Lewis & Clark settled in, and Palosi pulled the Pioneers within 15-14 with 23 seconds left in the quarter. The Loggers led 17-14 after one.

Puget Sound built its largest lead of the game midway through the second quarter when Autumn Hill (12 points, 11 rebounds) grabbed her own rebound and scored, putting the Loggers up 31-19. The Pioneers responded with a 16-6 run to close the half, highlighted by a Palosi three-pointer that cut the deficit to 36-35 with eight seconds remaining. Puget Sound led 37-35 at halftime, but the momentum was shifting.

Lewis & Clark took control in the third quarter. Junior Tatiana Rebanal (four points, five steals) sparked the defense with a steal and layup to pull the Pioneers within 40-39 at the 7:39 mark. A minute later, Frederickson sank two free throws to give Lewis & Clark its first lead since the first quarter. Back-to-back layups by sophomore DJ Kendrick (six points) and another Palosi trey extended the lead to 53-47 with 2:30 left in the quarter. The Pioneers carried a 58-55 advantage into the final frame.

Lewis & Clark never trailed in the fourth quarter, though Puget Sound kept it close. Paige Oh tied the game at 60-all with a three-pointer at the 8:15 mark, but sophomore Isabella Bernard (seven points, four rebounds) answered with a three of her own. Singleton then extended the lead to six with a second-chance layup and an and-one free throw with four minutes remaining.

Puget Sound's leading scorer, Carmen Cruz (22 points), drained a three-pointer with 1:11 left to bring the Loggers within 68-67. However, Singleton, first-year Kaitlen Carns (five points, five rebounds), and Frederickson sealed the victory by making clutch free throws in the final minute.

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Pioneers earned back-to-back home wins this week after defeating Northwest Indian College 87-50 on Tuesday. It's their first back-to-back home wins since victories over Linfield (64-60) and George Fox (58-53) from January 28 to February 1, 2022.
• Palosi has made 15 three-pointers in five days, setting career highs in scoring in two of three games, including 23 points against Northwest Indian College.
• Lewis & Clark held Puget Sound to a season-low 37.5% shooting in NWC play and forced 20 turnovers—the second most by the Loggers in conference play this season (Whitman forced 21).
• This was the first NWC home win for the Pioneers since February 11, 2022, when they defeated Willamette. With the Lewis & Clark men's basketball team also beating Puget Sound 69-58 on Saturday, the Pioneers swept an NWC doubleheader for the first time since that same date.

WHO'S NEXT
 
Lewis & Clark takes on Pacific Lutheran University on Friday at 8:00 p.m. in Tacoma, Washington.