Karissa Dixon Led OIT with a Double-Double in 78-70 Win (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Lady Owls Capture SOU - Flagship Inn Tournament with 78-70 Win
( Ashland, Ore.) - Oregon Tech made 9-of-10 free throws down the stretch, used a 9-0 spurt to take its first double-digit lead and captured the Flagship Inn Classic women’s basketball title with a 78-70 win over Cal State-Maritime.
“We wanted to utilize our height inside, and we wanted to keep their shooters off the three,” sophomore Karissa Dixon said after a double- double effort to help OIT up its season record to 7-1. “We knew we had to contain them,” Dixon said.
While the Keelhaulers were 6-for-19 from beyond the three-point arc, three of the long-range came after OIT had taken control of the game against a team that had dominated host Southern Oregon Friday night. Against SOU, the Keelhaulers jumped out to a 31-7 lead. Saturday, CSU-Maritime’s biggest lead against OIT, in a game that featured eight ties and 12 lead changes, came at 19-11.
Morgan Hofman’s three allowed OIT to tie the score at 38 to start the second half and, once the Hustlin’ Owls took the lead for good, Dixon’s three gave OIT its biggest lead of the game at 49-45.
The Owls, who open Cascade Collegiate Conference play this week, led, 66-62, when Carrie Thibault made two free throws that powered OIT’s 9-0 spurt as Tech took a 75-62 lead.
Senior Jazzy McDaniel finished with 15 points, six rebounds and a blocked shot.
Dixon finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for OIT, while Colleen Hunt and Kassi Conditt both scored 10 points.
Alexsis Brown scored 31 points for CSU-M, 21 of which were scored in the first half.
The Lady Owls (7-1) will open up CCC play Friday night at home against pre-season CCC favorite Corban University (4-2) at 5:30 pm at Danny Miles Court.