OIT comes Back to Down Northwest, 82-73
KIRKLAND, Wash. -- No. 6-ranked Oregon Tech came back from a 3 point halftime deficit to defeat Northwest University, 82-73, in Cascade Conference play tonight. Tech shot a blistering 72.7% in the second half and 68% for the game.
Tech jumped out to a 13-9 lead in the first half and led 24-19 after Brent Johnson’s 3 pointer at the 9:00 mark, but Northwest would mount a 6-0 run to take the lead 25-24 with 6:55 to go on Eddie Coulson’s trey. OIT would then go on a 5-0 run of their own to regain the lead, 29-25 with 5:34 left in the half. Chase Van Cleave would hit a 3 pointer with 2:47 remaining as the Eagles would rattle off a 7-2 run to end the half and take the slim, 40-37 lead into the locker room at the break. NU shot a hot 57.7% in the first half only to be topped by OIT’s blazing 64%.
OIT’s Jguwon Hogges would hit a three to begin the half and tie the score at 40 a piece but the Eagle would hit two consecutive treys of their own by Pat Mattson and Eddie Coulson to take a 46-40 lead with 18:25 left. Tech’s shooting would heat up and Ryan Fiegi’s freethrow with 13:34 to go would tie the game at 50-50. Another Fiegi jumper would put the Owls up 52-50 and the lead would remain theirs the rest of the contest. The Eagles would pull to within one point, 60-59 but the Owls would go on a 6-0 run, capped by a Myles Daley jumper to put the Techsters up by 7, 66-59. Northwest put OIT on the foul line late in the game and the Owls managed to shoot 5 for 9 down the stretch to pull out the win.
Northwest U. (11-10, 7-5 CCC) had five players in double figures led by senior Pat Mattson’s (Everett, WA) 17 points. Freshman Greg George (Seattle, WA) scored 15 points, Derek Miller (Jr., Cheney, WA) scored 13 points and Chase Van Cleave (Jr., Puyallup, WA) and Eddie Coulson (Jr., N. Las Vegas, NV) each dropped in 12 for the Eagles. Northwest had 13 turnovers for the contest.
Oregon Tech (18-4, 9-3 CCC) was led by Josh Wetzler (Jr., Perth, Aus) who finished with 25 points and 8 rebounds while teammate, junior Christian Cavanaugh (Mill Valley, CA) scored 20 points on the night for the Owls. Senior guard Ryan Fiegi (Medford, OR) added another 15 for the winners and junior Jguwon Hogges (Atwater, CA) added another 12 for Tech. OIT out rebounded NU 27-23 and had only 7 turnovers for the game.