via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
Oregon Tech 64, Warner Pacific 56
Keegan Shivers scored a game-high 17 points and Blake Jensen recorded his second-straight double-double, as Oregon Tech overcame a rough shooting night to outlast Warner Pacific, 64-56, inside C.C. Perry Gymnasium.
The Hustlin’ Owls (11-3, 7-1 CCC) won their sixth-straight game, pulling into a first-place tie with College of Idaho atop the Cascade Conference standings. Tech held WPU to 34% shooting on the night, including 3-of-18 shooting from 3-point range, to claim the road win.
OIT built a 58-44 lead with six minutes remaining – but the Knights (8-6, 3-6) clamped down defensively – holding the Owls without a made field goal over the last nine minutes. Jurrien Sparks canned a 3-pointer inside the final minute to get the hosts within 61-56, with WPU forcing a turnover on the next possession.
Tech clamped down defensively, as Erik Fraser took a charge on a Sparks drive and Jensen capped the win by drawing a charge on a Mason Savory runner – with the Owls making 3-of-4 free throws to close out the win.
The Owls used the 3-pointer to build a halftime lead, getting triples from Shivers and Jay Elmore in a 10-2 run that gave OIT a 15-8 edge. The lead grew to 30-20 on a Jensen dunk late in the half.
WPU cut the margin to 37-35 early in the second half – but Tech countered with 10-straight points, as Shivers scored twice in the paint, Jensen took a Shivers pass for a 2-hand jam and Kam Osborn canned a trey to give the visitors a 47-35 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
Shivers surpassed the 1,400-point mark for his OIT career in the win, with Jensen scoring 14 points with 13 rebounds. Osborn scored 12 – moving within six points of the 1,000-point mark for his career. Tech won despite making just 26-percent of their second half field goals and missing their final eight 3-point attempts.
Terrin Dickey led WPU with 16 points and Matt Solomon scored 15 in the loss.
Oregon Tech 78, Multnomah 70
Keegan Shivers and Blake Jensen combined to score Oregon Tech’s final 20 points over the last nine minutes, as the Hustlin’ Owls outlasted Multnomah, 78-70, at Jim Skagen Court.
Shivers scored a season-high 24 points, converting 6-straight free throws inside the final 55 seconds, with Jensen scoring 10 of his 12 points after halftime – adding 11 rebounds for his third-straight double-double.
Kam Osborn canned a 3-pointer to open the second half, giving the Owls (12-3, 8-1 CCC) a 42-34 lead – surpassing the 1,000-point mark for his OIT career. However, the Lions methodically worked their way back in the game – as inside baskets by Kadeem Nelson pulled the hosts within 50-49.
From there, it was a battle – as the game was played between 1-and-6 points for the next 10 minutes. Leading 65-64, Jensen scored off an offensive rebound and following a defensive stop, Shivers drained a 28-foot 3-pointer to push the Owls lead to six.
Keilan Torkornoo pulled Nomah (11-4, 7-3) within 72-68 with a second-chance runner – but Shivers put the game on ice from the foul line.
OIT never trailed in the game, scoring the first 11 points – including a triple from Shivers – holding the Lions without a made field goal for the first six minutes. A Shivers 3-point play gave Tech a 21-8 lead – but Nomah was able to battle back on the strength of Nelson, who scored a season-high 21 points off the bench.
Osborn and Grant Tull each scored nine for the Owls, with Jamison Guerra and Jackson Cooper tallying eight. OIT shot 54% from the field on the night and finished with a 40-29 rebound edge.
Marje Windfield scored 13 points and Braedon Edison scored 12 in the loss for the Lions.
Tech returns home for the next four games, beginning Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Walla Walla.