Oregon Tech Downs Northwest U.
KIRKLAND, Wash. – A 60 point second half helped give Oregon Tech an 80-69 victory tonight in Cascade Conference play.
The first half proved to be a low scoring, defensive battle as OIT would be limited to 25% shooting and Northwest would manage 32% shooting for the period. Karissa Dixon’s jumper would give tech an early 14-5 lead, five minutes into the half. Northwest would outscore 10-4 to make it a 18-15 Oregon Tech lead with 9:04 left in the half. Jessalyn Jackson would hit a layup in the paint to make it a one point ball game, 18-17 at the 5:47 mark. Jackson would then commit her third foul at the 5:21 mark sending the league-leading scorer to the bench. Neither team would score for over two minutes until Kassi Conditt would make two free throws to put OIT up 20-17 with 3:14 left on the clock. A jumper by Mari Gonzalez and 3 pointer by Carol Howard would give NU 22-20 lead as the half would end.
In the second half, Northwest would continue to lead until the 16:42 mark and Carrie Thibault’s two free throws would tie the game at 28-all and then put OIT into the lead, 29-28. Four ties and seven lead changes would take place as the teams would battle back and forth. Oregon Tech would pull ahead 47-42 on a Karissa Dixon 3 pointer, but an Ashley Coila jumper and Emily Drivstuen trey would knot the score at 47-all. NU would take a 56-53 lead with 6:30 remaining in the game, but Morgan Hofman would tie the score once again at 56 with her trey. After Emily Drivstuen would tie the score 64-64, the game’s 10th, with 2:56 on the clock, OIT would go on a 6-0 run capped off by Morgan Hofman’s free throws to lead 70-64. Tech would make 13 of 14 free throws down the stretch to close out victory.
Northwest U. (7-9, 3-5 CCC) was led by Emily Drivstuen’s 21 points and 7 rebounds. Jessalyn Jackson was held to 14 points and 5 rebounds for the night and Carol Howard added 10 points for the Eagles who shot 36% for the game, 32% from the 3 point line. NU lost the rebound battle to the bigger Owls, 55-36.
Oregon Tech (17-3, 6-2 CCC) four players in double figures with Karissa Dixon leading the way with 15 points and 7 rebounds. 6-2 sophomore Cassi Conditt and teammate Carrie Thibault each scored 12 points and Aundrea Albright recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Owls shot 39% for the night, but hit 47% of their 3-point attempts (7-15). Of their 55 rebounds, 23 were offensive boards.
Northwest remains at home and will host Southern Oregon on Saturday night while Oregon Tech will take on the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m.