Coos Bay, Ore. - The Titans got off to a rough start that put them down double digits after the first quarter. Despite a plus 11-point second half, the Titans fell on the road at Southwestern Oregon (SWOCC), 71-69.
How it happened
First quarter: The quarter started out perfectly for the Titans, they scored the first six points and held SWOCC scoreless for the first 2:15 of the game. A 6-0 SWOCC run to the 5:18 mark tied the game at eight a piece. After a pair of Kalina Rojas free throws to give the Titans a two-point lead, SWOCC went on a 17-0 run over the next 3:23 to take a 15-point lead, 25-10, with 52 seconds left. During the run, the Titans went 0-5 from the field with two turnovers. Kendra McAninch hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to which put the Titans down by 13, 25-12, after one.
Kalina Rojas led the Titans with six points and five boards, but she was only 1-5 from the field. The Titans shot 30 percent from the floor and committed six turnovers.
Second quarter: The Titans got their deficit down to 10 points 2:25 into the quarter thanks to a couple of baskets from Aolani Talamaivao-Calderon. Hailey Stevens made a three with 7:02 remaining to reduce their deficit to single digits, 30-21, 2:58 into the quarter. From the 6:43 mark to the 1:21 mark SWOCC went on a 9-3 run that extended their lead back to 15 points, 39-24. Megan Fossen made a layup with 52 seconds left to pull the Titans back to where they started the quarter, down 13.
The Titans shot 31.3 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from the free throw line (3-7) with five turnovers and five fouls. Hailey Stevens had five points, two steals and one assist.
Third quarter: After allowing a three to give SWOCC their largest lead of the game, the Titans responded with a 7-0 run over 1:46 to the 7:29 mark, down only nine points, 42-33. An 8-0 Titan run reduced the Titans deficit to five, 46-41, with 4:13 remaining in the quarter. The Titans got within four points after a converted and-one by Kendra McAninch with 2:21 remaining. SWOCC would get the final basket but the Titans only trailed by six, 50-44, after an early 16-point deficit at the start of the quarter.
The Titans shooting only incrementally improved to 38.5 percent, but 72.7 percent from the line (8-11) and no turnovers committed allowed the Titans to be plus seven in the quarter. Kendra McAninch led the way with seven points and 17 of the 18 Titan points came from the starters.
Fourth quarter: After allowing the first two points, Mia Morey made a three 1:16 into the quarter to reduce the deficit to five, 52-47. Overall the Titans went on a 13-7 run with eight of the points coming from Megan Fossen and their deficit sitting at one point, 58-57, with 6:50 remaining. An 8-0 SWOCC run to the 3:07 mark would end up dooming the Titans as they trailed 66-57. The Titans did make another comeback attempt with a 12-4 run capped by a Maddie Bertsch three with 31 second remaining. After SWOCC made one of two free throws the Titans took a timeout and engineered a play for a Megan Fossen three to win it. The pass got tipped on the inbound and Fossen's three pointer was attempted close to the center circle and was wide of the mark.
Megan Fossen had eight points and five rebounds for the Titans who were plus 11 in the second half but needed another three points to complete the comeback.
What stood out:
71 points allowed: Titans are 2-4 when allowing 70 points or more … 34 rebounds: Titans are 3-5 when recording fewer than 40 rebounds … 15 turnover: All six Titan losses have come after committing 15 or more turnovers … 5 made three: Titans are 7-5 when making five or fewer threes … 69 points scored: Titans are 5-4 when not reaching the 70-points mark, 14-2 when reaching 70 points.
Who stood out:
Kalina Rojas: 18 points and 11 rebounds give her 20 double-doubles and 15 in her last 17 games … Megan Fossen: scored 16 points with seven rebounds, one assist and one block.
What it means: The Titans fall to a tie for third place with Clackamas (Titans hold tie breaker). They are eliminated from finishing first and sit .5 games behind second place Mt. Hood.
What's next: The Titans (19-6, 8-4) travel to sixth place Chemeketa (10-13, 5-6) in Salem on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. after their bye week this Saturday.