Oregon Tech's Scotty Riddle. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Oregon Tech Holds Off Eastern Oregon Rally, Win 88-78
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – No. 2 ranked Oregon Tech led by as many as 16 points in the second half and was able to hang on against a feisty Eastern Oregon squad to win 88-78 tonight in Cascade Conference men’s basketball action.
Oregon Tech improves to 21-2 on the year and 10-1 in the conference standings. No. 25 Eastern Oregon, meanwhile, fall to 13-7 on the season and 6-5 in CCC play.
The pair of top-25 teams went back-and-forth over the first seven minutes, including three ties, before a Bobby Hunter layup and ensuing free throw on the foul gave the Owls a 16-15 lead with 13:30 to play in the opening period. It was a lead Tech would not relinquish.
Tech’s Kyle Gomez gave the Owls their first double-digit lead on the first of two free throws with 3:41 on the clock, and Fred Corpening would close out the first half scoring on a 3-pointer to give the Owls a 44-31 advantage at the half.
Seven minutes into the second period a Gomez layup put Tech up 16 points, the largest lead of the game, at 59-43.
Eastern Oregon answered with a 10-2 run of their own to get back into single digits, trailing by just eight at the midway point, on a Travares Jackson triple to make it 61-53.
Gomez answered back from long range to give the home team a 13 point advantage, 72-59, with 6:12 to play.
One last EOU run cut the score to 83-78 with 1:59 on the clock, but the Tech defense held the Mountaineers scoreless and the Owls would score the final five points of the contest to move on for an 88-78 win.
Three Owls finished in double figures led by a team-high 20 points from Bobby Hunter. Kyle Gomez added 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. David Clarke netted 14 points, three four assists, with Scotty Riddle adding 12 points and six rebounds in the win for Tech.
Anthony Brown led the Eastern attack with the games only double-double that included a game-high 21 points and 14 rebounds. Trent Roos followed with 18 points and Travares Peterson a rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine boards.
EOU finished 28-for-64 from the floor (43.8%), while the Owls shot 48.4% on 30-for-62. EOU hit 9-for-25 from long range and Oregon Tech 11-of-25. EOU held the edge in rebounds (43-33), including 13 from the offensive end compared to eight from the Owls.
Oregon Tech next travels to Portland to face Concordia University Friday and in a battle of top-10 teams, No. 8 Warner Pacific College Saturday. Both games tip off at 7:30 p.m.