via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
Oregon Tech 90, Bushnell 74
EUGENE, Ore. – Six Oregon Tech players scored in double-figures, as the Hustlin’ Owls rode a 61% shooting night to a convincing 90-74 victory over Bushnell University inside Morse Event Center.
OIT (7-3, 3-1 CCC) held the hosts in check, limiting the Beacons to a 36.5% night from the field – including a 5-minute stretch in the second half without a made field goal, part of a game-changing 16-2 run.
The Owls never trailed on the night, but led just 67-62 following a Kaleb Burnett 3-pointer with 10 minutes to play. Lay-ups from Jamison Guerra and Kam Osborn started the flurry, Jared Sucher added a 15-foot baseline jumper and both Jackson Cooper and Blake Jensen converted on the block – as Tech stretched the lead to 83-64 with four minutes remaining.
Playing without Guerra and Cooper much of the first half, Dakota Reber stepped up off the bench, scoring all 11 of his points in the opening 20 minutes – including a triple and step-back 15-footer – part of a 9-2 run that broke a 28-28 tie.
Osborn scored 15 points, with Jensen converting 6-of-7 field goals, ending the night with 15 points and eight rebounds. Cooper and Erik Fraser joined Reber in the 11-point club, with scoring 11 points and a team-best nine assists.
Cory Johnson had 17 points, with Kaleb Burnett (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Ashton Harvey (10 points, 12 rebounds) each recording double-doubles for the Beacons (4-6, 1-3) – who stayed in the game thanks to 19 second-chance points off 20 offensive rebounds.
Oregon Tech 65, Corban 61
SALEM, Ore. – Defense down the stretch was key for Oregon Tech, holding Corban to one made field goal over a seven-minute span late in the contest, as a Hustlin’ Owls 13-3 run keyed a come-from-behind 65-61 victory inside the C.E. Jeffers Center.
OIT (8-3, 4-1 CCC) trailed 47-37 midway through the second half, but limited the Warriors to 36-percent shooting after the break – including a 1-for-13 effort in the key run – to record their third-straight league victory.
Keegan Shivers scored 5-straight points, including a transition NBA-range 3-pointer, in a 12-2 Tech surge to tie the game at 49-49 with just over eight minutes remaining. Corban (6-5, 4-1), who saw a 5-game win streak snapped, regained the lead at 54-51 on a Nikola Milosevic lay-up with just over 7:10 on the clock – only to see the Owls catch fire.
Jamison Guerra converted twice on the block to give the visitors the lead and Jackson Cooper connected on two free throws, sandwiched around a pair of fall-away jumpers to extend the lead. Cooper gave OIT their largest lead at 64-57 with an inside basket with 25 seconds remaining.
The Warriors cut the margin to one possession inside the last 10 seconds, but a steal off an inbound pass by Erik Fraser allowed the Owls to run out the clock.
Cooper led OIT with 16 points and 13 rebounds, making 6-of-6 free throw attempts. Shivers finished with 14 points, converting the only two 3-pointers by the Owls on the night. Guerra scored 12, Kam Osborn finished with 11, Blake Jensen posted 10 points and eight rebounds, with Fraser pulling down a career-high 11 boards. Tech won despite making just 40% of their field goals.
Luc Krystkowiak led Corban with 16 points and eight rebounds.
OIT returns to the floor on Jan. 3, hosting Northwest at 7:30 p.m. for Rogue Credit Union $1.00 Popcorn Night.
