Oregon Tech captured a 65-61 win tonight over Warner Pacific to open conference play. Lisa Busch drives to basket. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The Oregon Tech women's basketball team trailed by eight points with just over 11 minutes to play, but fought back to secure a 65-61 win in tonight's Cascade Conference opener over Warner Pacific.
The Oregon Tech Lady Owls remain undefeated at home in tonight's win over the Knights, moving to 4-0 at Danny Miles Court and earning an even 5-5 record on the season.
Good defense by both teams early in the first half made scoring difficult, with OIT allowing just 8-for-32 field goals and 2-of-15 from the 3-point line, holding WPC to 25% shooting.
Warner Pacific held firm, despite the hot hand of Oregon Tech senior Kelsey New and her two first half 3-pointers. WPC hustled for eight steals by half time, forcing the Lady Owls to turn the ball over 14 times, resulting in a 24-20 lead by OIT at the half.
The Knights kept the defense pumping to start the second half, going on an 7-0 spurt to tie the game at 30-30 two minutes in. A big 3-pointer by senior Nicole Morgan, however, would put an end to the Knight run and give OIT back the lead.
Some back-and-forth play would then transpire, each team battling for the lead, but it was the Owls that would turn such effort into reward, outrebounding the Knights 44-36. Back-to-back blocks by Central Point native, Aundrea Albright, allowed fellow teammate Nicole Morgan to contribute, hitting back-to-back jumpers of her own with 10 minutes left to play.
The run would continue for OIT as senior Lisa Busch would get hot, stealing the ball from WPC and then capitalizing at the other end with a huge three to cut the deficit to one.
As OIT would allow a few Knight free throws to put them behind, Busch would again come up big, hitting yet another three with just a minute and change left on the clock.
Forced to foul, the Knights would watch their hopes of a win dwindle as Kelsey New and Nicole Morgan would drop their attempts. OIT would edge the lead to 64-59 with only 18 seconds left.
Topped off with one last free throw by Lisa Busch, OIT would come away with a well deserving 65-61 come from behind victory.
Three Owls finished in double figures, led by Nicole Morgan with a game-high 16 points and eight rebounds. Lisa Busch followed with 15 points and five boards, while Kellie Morey scored 10.
Marissa Towry led the Knights with a team-high 15 points, followed by 13 from Cameryn Calhoun and 12 points and seven rebounds from Kelsey Mattsen.
The Owls shot 39.6% from the floor on 21-of-53, including 10-for-23 from the 3-point line. Warner was held to 32.4% on the night, connecting on 22-of-68. The Owls held a 44-to-36 edge on the boards.