Oregon Tech's Austen Flint (picture by Kelly Caleb)
Oregon Tech Drops Exhibition Contest, 98-81, at University of Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon Tech got off to a great start at NCAA I University of Portland, but the Pilots outscored the Hustlin’ Owls 19-6 over the final seven minutes of the first half, pulling away for a 98-81 win in tonight’s exhibition contest at the Chiles Center in Portland.
Joel Yellow Owl scored the game’s first basket, but five minutes later UP held a 14-6 lead.
A Lavar Moore triple with 11:58 to go in the first period tied the contest at 18-all. The Owls would keep the game to within two points after a Yellow Owl layup, 29-27, but the Pilots used a 19-6 run to close out the half and take a 15 point lead into the intermission.
UP pushed out to an 18 point lead to open the second period, but the Owls responded with an 11-2 run, including five points from Zach Reed and four by Yellow Owl in the stretch, to close their deficit to nine, 53-44. That would be as close as the Owls would get.
The Pilots bounced back with a 17-5 burst, taking their largest lead of the contest at 21, 70-49, nearing the midway point of the second period.
Tech would get it as close to 12 points with 7:03 remaining, but the Pilots would cruise to the 98-81 win.
Joel Yellow Owls finished with a team-high 23 points, followed by 15 from Lavar Moore. Austen Flint tallied 12 points with Derek Evans getting 11 and Zach Reed 10 in the loss for Tech. Evans grabbed a team-high eight rebounds for Tech with Yellow Owl coming away with seven.
Tech finished the night 30-of-78 from the field (38.5%), including 9-for-30 from beyond the arch and 12-of-19 from the charity stripe. Oregon Tech and U. Portland finished with 43 rebounds apiece.
Bryce Pressley netted a game-high 30 points for UP with the Pilots connecting on 52-percent of their field goals (35-of-67) and 14-of-30 from the 3-point line.
Oregon Tech will host Cal Pac member Simpson University on November 17 in their home opener beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Danny Miles Court.