LA GRANDE, Ore. — Eastern Oregon Men's Basketball dropped a closely contested Cascade Collegiate Conference opener as the Oregon Tech Owls surged late to secure an 85-81 victory Friday night at Quinn Coliseum.
The Mountaineers held a narrow 39-35 lead at halftime, hanging onto the lead for the majority of the second half, with Oregon Tech making a late-game run, propelled by two of Jay Elmore's three-point shots, to secure the win.
The game featured nine lead changes and three ties. Despite trailing by as many as 14 points in the second half, the Mountaineers mounted a late rally, cutting the deficit to two in the final minute.
Key Players
Eastern Oregon:
- Garrett Hawkes: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks; hit two three-pointers.
- Brennen Newsom: Double-double with 14 points (6-for-6 FG) and 9 rebounds.
- TJ Doman: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists; contributed key defensive stops.
- James Bodily: 13 points off the bench; hit three shots from beyond the arc.
Oregon Tech:
- Kam Osborn: Game-high 19 points, including 8-for-9 from the free-throw line.
- Jay Elmore: 16 points off the bench; hit 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.
- Keegan Shivers: 15 points, 5 rebounds.
- Jackson Cooper: 11 points, 8 rebounds.
Eastern looks ahead to their next game as they host Southern Oregon tomorrow at 5 p.m. in Quinn Coliseum.
