LC State Women's Basketball Faces SOU in Cascade Conference Quarterfinal

The Warriors and Raiders will meet for the fourth time this season with a semifinal berth on the line.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The No. 17 LC State Women's Basketball team enters the 2026 Cascade Conference Women's Basketball Championship as the third seed, facing off against seventh-seeded Southern Oregon in the quarterfinal round. The Warriors have advanced to the title game all four years as members of the conference, with SOU being the opponent in three of the four matchups. This year, the two powerhouses will meet on a neutral court in Salem, with the winner advancing to the semifinal.

Why it matters

The LC State-SOU rivalry has been one of the most competitive in the Cascade Conference over the past few seasons, with the teams meeting in the tournament title game three times. This quarterfinal matchup will determine which program advances to the semifinals and keeps its championship hopes alive.

The details

The Warriors have faced SOU eight times in the last three seasons, splitting the season series this year. LC State's defense held the Raiders to 31.8% shooting and 14.3% from 3-point range in their first meeting, but SOU responded with 10 made 3-pointers in the rematch. The Warriors are led by a balanced scoring attack, with four players averaging double figures and three grabbing more than four rebounds per game. SOU counters with a strong defensive unit that leads the conference in steals per game.

  • The quarterfinal matchup between LC State and Southern Oregon will take place on Friday, February 27 at noon in Salem, Oregon.
  • The winner will advance to the Cascade Conference semifinal on Saturday, February 28.

The players

Darian Herring

The junior forward has been one of the top defensive players in the Cascade Conference this season, ranking second all-time at LC State in blocks with 209 and leading the conference with 62 blocks. She is also the Warriors' top rebounder, averaging 8.9 boards per game, and is fourth in the conference in assists with 101.

Bridgette McIntyre

The senior guard for Southern Oregon is fourth in the Cascade Conference in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game. She had a standout performance against LC State earlier this season, connecting on seven 3-pointers and scoring 34 points.

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What they’re saying

“We must be prepared for a tough battle against a very talented Southern Oregon team. They have proven they can beat us, so we need to bring our best effort to advance to the semifinals.”

— Payton Hymas, LC State Point Guard (LC State Athletics)

“This is the kind of game our team has been looking forward to all season. We know LC State well, and we're confident we can come out on top and keep our championship hopes alive.”

— Bridgette McIntyre, Southern Oregon Guard (Southern Oregon Athletics)

What’s next

The winner of the LC State-Southern Oregon quarterfinal will face the victor of the matchup between second-seeded No. 14 Eastern Oregon and seventh-seeded Warner Pacific in the Cascade Conference semifinal on Saturday.

The takeaway

This quarterfinal showdown between two of the Cascade Conference's top women's basketball programs promises to be a hard-fought, competitive battle with a spot in the semifinals on the line. The outcome could come down to which team is able to best execute its game plan and limit the other's scoring threats.