Southern Oregon men’s basketball reaches NAIA quarterfinals

Southern Oregon University’s men’s basketball team is making headlines in the NAIA tournament. The 11th-seeded Raiders achieved another upset on Friday by defeating the seventh-seeded Keiser University from Florida, with a final score of 83-79. This victory allows them to advance to the quarterfinals in Kansas City, Missouri. The Raiders took control in the second half, leading by as much as 17 points. However, Keiser fought back and managed to tie the game twice in the final two minutes. Despite the tight finish, Southern Oregon never lost the lead. Mason Whittaker sealed the win by making two free throws with 29 seconds left. Five players from Southern Oregon scored in double digits. Bryce Dyer and Elijah Jackson each contributed 15 points, Khalil Chatman added 13, and Gabe Reichle scored 11. This win comes after the Raiders previously defeated sixth-seeded Montana Tech and third-seeded The Master’s University from California. Southern Oregon, the lowest seed remaining in the tournament, will face the top seed, Freed-Hardeman of Tennessee, in the next game. Freed-Hardeman won their previous match against Life University from Georgia with a score of 85-71. The quarterfinal match is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. PT.