via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
Oregon Tech 73, College of Idaho 35
Oregon Tech used a dominant defensive performance, holding visiting College of Idaho to 21.5% shooting on the night, as the Lady Owls extended their win streak to nine, rolling to a 73-35 victory at Danny Miles Court.
OIT (15-3, 11-1 CCC) kept pace with Southern Oregon atop the league standings – holding a league foe to their lowest shooting percentage since 2019 (Corban made 21.3% of their field goals in a 49-39 loss to Tech). It marked the seventh time this season the Lady Owls help an opponent under 30% from the field.
Both teams started slowly, with the Owls leading 8-6 with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter – but a 20-4 run by OIT blew the game open. Kennedy Tull started the rally with a 3-pointer, Jozie Ramos added a lay-up and a 3-point play and Tatum Schmerbach canned two triples, helping the hosts to 37-16 lead at the half.
Tull kept the pressure on in the third quarter, knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers in a 13-2 run, extending the Lady Owls lead to 50-21 – with the margin reaching 41 points in the fourth quarter. The senior led all players with 14 points, converting four 3-pointers for a second-straight game.
Gabbie Gascon had 11 points and a career-high nine boards, Schmerbach had 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists, with Ramos finishing with nine points. OIT made a season-high 10 3-pointers, finishing the night 10-for-20 from long range.
The Yotes (10-8, 8-5) had four players score six points in the loss – Kylie Waltermeyer, Brooke Beresford, Lainee Houillon and McKenzie Hirsch.
Eastern Oregon 78, Oregon Tech 69
Eastern Oregon took advantage of Oregon Tech playing without their top-two scorers during the final two minutes, closing the game on a 10-1 run, as the Mountaineers ended the Lady Owls 9-game win streak with a 78-69 decision at Danny Miles Court.
Brie Holecek scored a game-high 25 points, converting four late free throws – as the Mounties (13-6, 9-5 CCC) made 8-of-8 freebies inside the last 40 seconds.
Brooke Anderson converted a 10-foot runner in the paint with two minutes remaining, as the Lady Owls (15-4, 11-2) tied the score at 68-68. However, while EOU worked their way to the line, Tech closed the game with four missed shots and a pair of missed free throws.
OIT started strong, as Gabbie Gascon canned consecutive transition 3-pointers in an 11-4 run to opening the contest, with a Maddyson Tull lay-up extending the margin to 22-9.
Early in the second quarter, Gascon left the game with an apparent injury and EOU took advantage – closing the frame on a 9-2 run, with a Holecek 3-pointer pulling the visitors within 34-28 at the half.
The Mounties continued the pressure, as Mya Alvarado hit a trey and Kelsie Siegner added two 3’s, part of a 13-4 third quarter run that gave EOU a 51-49 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the two teams exchanged the lead five times – with EOU taking a 67-64 advantage on a Brinley Hagemeier driving lay-up. Tech looked to have tied the score on a Tatum Schmerbach runner on the ensuing possession with three minutes left, but the sophomore was called for a charge – her fifth foul of the night.
Jozie Ramos scored 13 points and added four blocks in the loss for Tech, Gascon tallying 10 and Tull scoring 10 off the bench.
Siegner finished with 16 points and Hagemeier adding 13 in the victory for EOU.
OIT hits the road next weekend for games at Evergreen State and Northwest.
