Oregon Tech closed to two points with 11 seconds but NCU would hold on for a 66-59 win in CCC women's basketball action. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Northwest Christian Holds on for 66-59 win over Oregon Tech
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – In Oregon Tech’s 6
th Annual “Pink Out” event, Northwest Christian University forced 19 turnovers and held Tech to just 27.3 percent from the field as the Beacons posted a 66-59 win tonight in Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s basketball action.
Oregon Tech falls to 17-7 overall and even in CCC play at 6-6. NCU improved to 9-11 on the season and 5-7 in the conference standings.
NCU forced 10 Tech turnovers over the first nine minutes of play with the Beacons jumping up 18-4 to start the contest.
Brittany Garrett hit a short baseline jumper for the Owls’ first score ending a 6 ½ minute scoring drought to make it 18-6.
With NCU leading 20-6 at the midway point an 8-0 run for the Owls closed the deficit to 20-14. Carrie Thibault, Carly McIsaac, Tess Armstrong and Karly LeVeque hit shots during the stretch, before a Meriah Overton trey for NCU halted the run.
Four minutes later the Beacons took their largest lead of the half at 35-22 with 1:44 remaining in the opener. Tech, however, closed out the first half on a 7-0 spurt, including a 3-pointer from LeVeque with four seconds on the clock, as the Owls trailed 35-29 at the intermission.
NCU scored the first five points of the second half to go up 40-29, before the Owls used six points from Reb Matteri in the stretch to close to four, 41-37. It was as close the Owls would get since the 16:48 mark of the first period.
A 9-3 run for the Beacons pushed their advantage back to double-digits, 50-40, at the midway point of the second half. An old-fashioned three point play by Hannah Frederick bumped the NCU lead to 13, their largest margin of the period, at 53-40.
A LeVeque basket and free throw on a NCU foul cut the deficit to single-digits, 53-45, with 5:48 remaining.
NCU’s Frederick, however, converted two free throws and followed with a jumper to boost the visitors lead back to 12, 57-45, with under five minutes to play.
Trailing 58-48 with under four minutes to play an 8-0 run for the Owls, including back-to-back treys from LeVeque and Thibault, closed the home team to just one possession at 58-56 with 1:23 remaining.
NCU moved up five 61-56 but a Megan Whetstone trey once again got the Owls to within two at 61-59 with 11 seconds on the clock.
Melyssa Weber connected on both her free throw tries and Tech never got closer with NCU taking the game by a 66-59 final.
Karly LeVeque scored a team-high 16 points followed by 11 from Reb Matteri. Carrie Thibault added nine points and handed out five assists in the loss. Megan Whetstone grabbed eight rebounds with Tess Armstrong coming up with seven.
Hannah Frederick led the Beacons with a game-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists. Melyssa Weber netted 12 and Demarea Caples 10 in the win for NCU.