Oregon Tech Head Coach an Miles with His Team After Winning his 900 game All with Oregon Tech 9Photo by Kelly Caleb)
Miles Reaches Career Win 900, Owls Rout Raiders for Record 35-Straight Home Wins
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Records fell tonight at Danny Miles Court as the No. 3 ranked Hustlin’ Owls routed rival Southern Oregon University by a 101-76 final to give head coach Dan Miles his 900th victory of his coaching career. The win also set an Oregon Tech men’s basketball record for most consecutive home wins with 35-straight.
Tonight’s victory, in front of a capacity crowd, all but assures No. 3 ranked Oregon Tech a trip to the 2010 NAIA national tournament, as they sit with a 24-4 overall mark and are 13-3 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference standings.
Miles is the fourth coach to reach the coveted 900 win mark. Ironically another coach reached 900 wins on the same night, Herb Magee of Philadelphia University. Miles won his 900th in his 39th season, all at the same university, and needs just three more wins to surpass the legendary Bobby Knight for 3rd on the all-time wins list.
Tonight was a great accomplishment for Miles, but more important to the coaching icon was the fact he sent his five seniors away with a victory in their last regular season home game. Joel Matchett, Mike Nieraeth, Justin Parnell, Myles Daley and Andy Siverly combined for 62 of the Owls’ 101 points in tonight’s win.
Tonight was also “Pink Out” at Oregon Tech, as the first 2,000 fans were given free t-shirts in an event to help support breast cancer awareness. It was a fitting tribute to former Oregon Tech president, and Hustlin’ Owl fan Martha Anne Dow, and her 10 family members that made the trip to Klamath Falls, on a night where both the men and women teams donned pink uniforms in the fight against breast cancer. Martha Anne Dow lost her battle to the disease in September of 2007.
In tonight’s victory, five Owls finished in double figure points led by Oregon Tech guard Joseph Foster with 25, including 4-for-4 from the 3-point line and 9-of-10 at the charity stripe. Senior Justin Parnell added a double-double 21 points and 11 boards to go with a game-high eight assists. Senior Andy Siverly recorded 13 points and five rebounds, while seniors Mike Nieraeth finished with 12 points and Myles Daley 11.
Armani Jackson led the Raiders with a team-high 18 points, followed by Humphrey Jackson with 16 and Ryan Staker with 11.
Oregon Tech shot 63.3% from the field, while knocking down 30-of-35 free throws and 9-of -16 from long range. Southern was held to 45.3% shooting. The Owls also held a 34-to-23 advantage in rebounds.
Oregon Tech will round out conference play in Portland next Friday versus Concordia University and Saturday at No. 23 ranked Warner Pacific.