KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- The NAIA Div. 2 Game of the Week lived up to its hype Friday night, as the No. 3 Oregon Tech men's basketball team edged No. 18 Eastern Oregon, 72-67.
The Hustlin' Owls had it's largest lead, 50-30, with 16:03 remaining in regulation, before Eastern would close the gap to 68-67 with 1:14 left.
Oregon Tech (19-3) (8-2) won its 31st consecutive game at home, the second longest streak in the nation. EOU still has not won in Klamath Falls since Feb. 16, 1979. Eastern (14-6) (7-3) ends its four-game win streak, as OIT extends its to eight games, the longest in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
Tech jumped out to a 14-7 lead with 12:46 remaining in the first half, before EOU would tie the score at 26 with 5:37 left before halftime. The Hustlin' Owls then went on a 10-0 run and would lead at the half, 38-28. It marked the first time in five years the Mountaineers would not have the halftime lead.
OIT went on a 12-2 run after the intermission to take its largest lead, 50-30, after a Mike Nieraeth three-pointer. Eastern slowly began to chip away at the lead from there. EOU cut the lead to single digits for the first time with 6:46 left in regulation, 62-53. Tech had the lead back to 66-56 a minute later, but that was its last double digit lead.
Eastern's
Cody Thurmond hit a three-pointer with 2:04 left to make the score, 67-65, Oregon Tech. Brent Johnson then put OIT back up three after hitting the second of two free throws with 1:35 remaining.
Josh Cottle then cut the lead to one point after hitting a pair of free throws on the other end of the court.
Johnson missed a pair of free throws on the following Owls' possession, but Eastern could not convert on their offensive possession. Mike Nieraeth put Oregon Tech up three with two free throws with 33 seconds left. Eastern's three-pointer on the ensuing possession would come up short, and Tech would hit another pair of free throws to end the game.
The Hustlin' Owls' Justin Parnell led all scorers with 17 points on 5 of 11 shooting from the field. Myles Daley added 13 points, and Nieraeth finished with 11. Eastern was led by
Jordan Gregg's 15 points and game-high 12 rebounds.
Josh Cottle and Thurmond each had 12 points for the Mountaineers, and Steve Sawyers finished with 10.
Oregon Tech shot 53 percent from the field, and EOU shot 39 percent. Both teams struggled behind the arc, OIT was 23 percent and Eastern was 27 percent. The Mountaineers outrebounded Tech, 37-28, but committed 13 turnovers to the Owls' six.
Oregon Tech now sits tied in first place in the conference standings with The Evergreen State. Warner Pacific is a half-game behind in third place, while Eastern Oregon slides to fourth place after the loss.
The Mountaineers travel to Southern Oregon Saturday. The Raiders (10-9) (2-8) are coming off of a 71-70 victory over The College of Idaho Friday. Eastern defeated Southern, 91-76, on Dec. 18, 2009, in La Grande.
