FULLERTON, Calif. – Tatum Schmerbach recorded season-highs with 31 points and 13 rebounds, as No. 23-ranked Oregon Tech completed a sweep of the top two teams in the Great Southwest Athletic Conference preseason poll, topping defending champ, Hope International, 78-70, inside Darling Pavilion.
The Lady Owls (3-1) won their third in a row, converting 46% of their field goal attempts on the night, while making 14-of-15 free throw chances.
HIU (1-3) held a 26-22 lead midway through the second quarter following a Jamella Coleman 3-pointer, but OIT answered with a 15-point run over the next four minutes. Avery Andrews and Erika Glenn converted baskets to tie the score, with a Schmerbach lay-up and triple making it 31-26. Back-to-back 3's from Brooke Anderson and Schmerbach closed the run, helping Tech build a 39-28 halftime lead.
OIT extended the margin to 55-38 following an Ayla Marston 3-pointer, with the Owls managing the game the rest of the way to earn the road victory.
Jozie Ramos scored 16 points, Anderson finished with 12 and Andrews posted 10 points in the Lady Owls victory. Three Royals scored 14 points in the loss – Amira Austin, N'Dya Parks and Andrea Javier.
The Lady Owls will have next weekend off, preparing for a difficult road trip to Montana to meet Montana Western and Montana Tech.