OREGON TECH 79, MULTNOMAH 54: Second-Half Offense Lifts Lady Owls Over Lions

1/27/2018 11:53:00 PM

PORTLAND, Ore. – Bethany George scored a game-high 21 points for Multnomah University, but the host Lions were unable to stop a second-half surge and Nohea Waiwaiole's triple-double as the Oregon Institute of Technology Lady Owls pulled away for a 79-54 Cascade Collegiate Conference women's basketball win Saturday evening here at Lytle Gym.
 
Although they never led, the Lions kept right on the heels of the Owls throughout the first half.  After falling behind on layups by Waiwaiole and Bailey Nelson, the Lions forged a 4-4 tie on two free throws by Valerie Wakefield and a basket by Faith Kraatz.  OIT's Megan Morris and 'Nomah's Tiara Chinn swapped buckets for a second tie, but a three-pointer by Amanda Constant with 4:39 left in the first quarter gave the Owls the lead for good and sparked a 9-0 run that put Tech in front 15-6.  The Owls finished the first period ahead 20-12 after shooting ..529 (9-17) from the field. 
 
Multnomah found its shooting touch in the second period, almost doubling its percentage from .222 (4-18) to .438 (7-16) and out-scoring the visitors 16-13.  George scored six points in the quarter, her layup with 41 seconds left drawing the Lions within five at 33-28 heading into the break.
 
In the third quarter, Tech twice connected on five consecutive shots and finished the period with a .688 mark (11-16).  Waiwaiole assisted on five of the Owls' baskets in the period.  The OIT lead reached 22 on a Hannah Neibauer layup that made it 57-35 with 1:31 to go, but an 9-2 run by the Lions, all on a trio of threes by George, trimmed the gap to 59-44 at the end of the quarter.  A three by Chinn and a Wakefield jumper twice brought the Lions within 14 early in the final period, but they got no closer as the Owls again extended their lead.  The final score was the largest margin of the game.
 
--- By the Numbers:  George's game-leading 21 included a 4-for-10 night from beyond the arc, and she got scoring help from Chinn with 11 and Wakefield with 10.  The Lions ended with a .304 shooting percentage (21-69).  Paris Sanders grabbed 12 rebounds, Rachelle Tau handed out four assists, Wakefield made three steals, and George blocked a pair of shots.
 
Waiwaiole finished with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, not putting the final touch to her big game until she nailed a free throw with 3:34 left.  Morris led the Owls with 18 points, followed by Constant and Nelson with 13 each and Mikaela Shumaker with 11.  OIT shot .485 (33-68) for the game and won the rebounding battle 49-36.  Shumaker had a pair of blocks, while Morris, Emily Packham and Abby Kreiser had two steals apiece.
 
Multnomah is now 1-23 overall and 1-13 in the conference, while Oregon Tech is 17-8 on the season and 10-5 in the league.
 
--- Next:  Multnomah visits Corban University Friday for a 5:30 p.m. CCC game … Oregon Tech goes to Southern Oregon University Wednesday for a CCC game at 5:30 p.m. … Both will be followed by men's CCC games at 7:30 p.m.