Brittany Cherry, playing in her last collegiate basketball game, hit the game winning shot to lift the Owls to an 84-82 win over Warner Pacific. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Owls Close with Victory Over Warner Pacific
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Oregon Tech women’s basketball team fought back from an 11 point first half deficit to defeat Warner Pacific College 84-82 tonight at Danny Miles Court.
Senior Brittany Cherry, playing in her last collegiate basketball game, scored 19 points, 14 of those in the second half, while also coming away with a steal with six seconds remaining to seal the win for Oregon Tech. Crissy Watts, finished with 17 points, including a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor, four of those from long range. Aundrea Albright added 12 points and three rebounds.
Miranda Holenstsein led all scorers with 23 points for Warner Pacific. Layne Tucker finished with 17 points, followed by Kelsey Mattsen with 16 and Cameryn Calhoun 14 points in the loss.
Behind a 50.0% effort from the field, Oregon Tech moved out to their largest lead of the first period, 15-11, on a Kassi Conditt basket at the 12:55 mark.
A Layne Tucker triple would give the lead back to Warner Pacific at the midway point. Miranda Holenstein added to the WPC lead after connecting for two of her first half 17 points from the charity stripe, as WPC built an 11 point edge, 38-27, with 4:27 on the clock.
Katelin Nielsen came alive for Tech, scoring five points in a 10-2 Owl run to cap the first half scoring, as OIT cut the deficit to 40-37 at the half.
Warner moved out to two separate eight point leads, the last at 55-47, before Oregon Tech mounted a furious rally.
Crissy Watts carried the Owls over the next five minutes, connecting on three baskets from long range, while Morgan Hofman hit three free-throws and Coleen Hunt tied the contest, 60-60, on two from the charity stripe with nine minutes to play.
The Owls claimed a four point lead until WPC’s Kelsey Mattsen answered with a trey the next time down court.
Karissa Dixon gave OIT back the lead, 77-76, on a trey the next possession.
After the Knights moved out to a 79-77 advantage, Watts tied it up at 79 apiece with 3:10 to play. Two Watts free-throws put Tech up 81-79, but a Layne Tucker triple gave the visitors an 82-81 advantage with 1:12 left.
Brittany Cherry capped a brilliant two-year career hitting what proved to be the winning basket with 35 seconds in the game. Another Watts freebie put the score 84-82 OIT.
With six seconds Warner Pacific called a timeout and drew up a play for a 3-pointer to win, however, Cherry anticipated the cross court pass, picked it off and dribbled it the length of the court as time expired.
The season ends for Oregon Tech, while Warner Pacific, the postseason tournament five-seed, travels to College of Idaho for the quarterfinal round of the CCC Tournament.