Oregon Institute of Technology Athletics

COMING UP: vs. No. 6 William Jessup, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
TICKET INFORMATION: Basketball Season Tickets are currently on sale for the 2022-23 season – with general admission season tickets being offered at a special $75 price to commemorate the 75th anniversary of OIT. Single-game tickets ($15 for reserved seats, $10 for general admission seating, $5 general admission tickets for senior citizen, veterans and kids 6-to-17) can be purchased beginning one hour prior to tip-off or online through the OIT Ticket Portal.
 
92.5 KLAD-FM TO CARRY ALL 28 GAMES: All 28 regular-season men's basketball games, along with all potential postseason contests, will be broadcast live in the Klamath Basin on Oregon's Country Giant, 92.5 KLAD-FM. Hall of Fame Voice of the Owls, Bobby Thompson, returns for his 33rd year behind the microphone, with each broadcast beginning 30 minutes prior to tip-off with the Justin Parnell Show. Fans outside the KLAD listening area can tune in online, with the broadcast simulcast with video on the Owl Sports Network.
 
OCTOBER GAMES: For the first time ever, the Hustlin' Owls will play a game on Oct. 29 – just the 12th game that OIT has played in the month of October. Prior to 1999, teams did not begin their seasons until the second week of November, but the Owls debuted at home in 2002 on Halloween Night. Since that game, OIT is a perfect 11-0 in October games – including two victories during in 2017 and 2018. The earliest start date for the squad was in 2018 – playing Northwest Indian College on Oct. 27 – a 122-38 win, the largest victory margin in program history.
 
SEASON OPENERS, HOME OPENERS: Since the 1950-51 season, the Hustlin' Owls have dominated their opponents in season opening games, recording a 48-24 all-time record – with a 19-game season-opening win streak snapped last season at Menlo. The record is even better for home openers – as Tech takes a 20-game win streak into Saturday's match-up (dating back to a 2001 loss to Chico State), holding a commanding 62-10 record in their home opener.
 
SUCCESS IN DANNY'S HOUSE: Since OIT moved to their current campus in 1964, the Hustlin' Owls have had a decisive home floor advantage inside the Athletic Center – winning nearly 82-percent of their home games. In the first 58 seasons Tech has played on what is now known as Danny Miles Court, the Owls hold a 766-171 overall record in the building – including a 79-11 mark under current head coach Justin Parnell. OIT has recorded a winning record in 56-of-58 seasons (going 5-7 in 1965-66 and 1-8 in 1970-71), including undefeated records four times (1986-87, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11).
 
TECH RANKED NO. 22 IN PRESEASON POLL: For the fifth consecutive season, the Hustlin' Owls will start a season ranked in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll, earning the No. 22 position in the balloting released on Oct. 26. Since the NAIA moved to one division in 2020, Tech has opened the season ranked No. 23, No. 13 and No. 22 over the past three seasons. OIT was a mainstay in the preseason poll, earning a national ranking for 17-straight years from 1997-2013, including beginning the 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons as the No. 1 ranked team in the NAIA Division II.
 
HUSTLIN' OWLS PICKED SECOND IN CCC: After finishing second in the final standing a season ago, the Owls were picked to finish second in the 12-team Cascade Conference, as the league's preseason poll was released in mid-October. Defending champ, College of Idaho, earned the top spot, followed by OIT, Lewis-Clark State, Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon.
 
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN THE NAIA?: The first eight games of the 2022-23 season for the Owls will be among the most difficult of any NAIA team in the association. Tech opens the season against No. 6-ranked William Jessup, before heading to Indiana to face No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan. Three days later, OIT will meet No. 8-ranked Grace in the opener of the Crossroads/Cascade Classic and close the trip against former NAIA champion, Bethel. After games against Simpson and Pacific Union, Tech will open CCC play at Eastern Oregon and No. 3-ranked College of Idaho – four Top-10 teams in the first eight games.
 
FAMILIAR FOE HEADS TO KLAMATH: William Jessup heads to the Basin to meet the Owls in the season opener for both teams – the fourth time the two squads have met to start a year. OIT picked up wins against then San Jose Christian in 1987 and 2003, before defeating WJU in 2008 – all in Klamath Falls. Since 2003, the two teams have met every year except 2018 and the COVID spring season, with the Hustlin' Owls holding a 30-9 series lead. Tech won the first 25 meetings in the series, but WJU is riding a 3-game win streak – including a 93-89 victory in the second-round of last season's NAIA Tournament.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – WILLIAM JESSUP: The Warriors (30-7) advanced to the 2022 NAIA national quarterfinals – with all seven of their losses against fellow Golden State Athletic Conference squads. WJU was picked to finish second in the GSAC preseason poll – as the squad returns first-team All-American Cash Williams (18.2 ppg, 5.9 apg, 3.6 rpg, .526 3FG%) – the GSAC Player of the Year, along with honorable mention All-American Myles Corey (14.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg). Jordan Adams (7.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg) returns – after connecting on seven 3-pointers against OIT in the playoff game – as does Jayden DeJoseph (8.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg), while 12 new players look to add to the Warriors depth.
 
SECOND HALF LEADS TECH TO EXHIBITION WIN: OIT used a 53-23 second half scoring binge to pick up a 92-65 exhibition win over the Seattle Mountaineers on Saturday night. The Owls held the ABA squad to 29-percent shooting in the second half, including 0-of-6 shooting from 3-point range – while the Tech offense converted 53-percent of their field goals on the evening and posted a plus-13 rebound margin.
 
OSBORN IN THE ZONE: Point-guard Kam Osborn had a big start to the season, connecting on his first six field goal attempts in the exhibition tilt, scoring a team-high 22 points in the victory. Osborn played a team-high 29 minutes, finishing 8-of-11 from the field, including a pair of 3-point makes, knocking down 4-of-4 free throws.
 
POTTS HAS BIG NIGHT: Post Joey Potts was key to the Owls comeback, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the second half rally. The senior connected on 8-of-10 field goal attempts, adding four offensive rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
NEW FACES MAKE AN IMPACT: Three newcomers to the OIT program made their debut in the win over the Seattle Mountaineers – as transfers Jay Elmore and Kody Bauman were joined by true freshman Noah Thomas. Elmore connected on 4-of-9 3-point attempts, scoring 14 points and adding three rebounds; Bauman led the Owls with nine rebounds and added eight points in 19 minutes of action; with Thomas finishing the night with nine points and three rebounds. In addition, Grant Tull made his debut after using last season as a redshirt year – scoring five points with seven rebounds in 21 minutes of action.
 
THIS WEEK IN THE CCC: Four teams in the CCC will join the Owls in playing games on opening weekend – including Lewis-Clark State, who will meet No. 1-ranked Arizona Christian in Phoenix. Eastern Oregon will play host to Division III Whitman, Multnomah meets NAIA foe Pacific Union, with Walla Walla traveling to Idaho State.
 
RECORD BOOK: Four members of the Hustlin' Owls open the 2022-23 season ranked among the Top-75 in the OIT Men's Basketball Career Record Book. Kaison Faust ranks No. 42 in free throw attempts (246), No. 43 in free throws made (176) and blocked shots (23), No. 49 in rebounds (404), No. 59 in games played (85), No. 60 in steals (56), No. 68 in field goals made (288) and No. 72 in points scored (758); Keegan Shivers is No. 44 in 3-pointers made (82) and No. 54 in 3-point attempts (197); Joey Potts is No. 33 in blocked shots (33); with Jamison Guerra No. 72 in assists (134).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: OIT will have next week off in preparation for a week-long trip to Indiana for three games – Nov. 9 at Indiana Wesleyan and Nov. 12-13 at the Crossroads/Cascade Classic against Grace and Bethel.