WINONA LAKE, Ind. – An 8-1 run inside the final two minutes erased a late Oregon Tech lead, as Bethel College held off the Hustlin' Owls, 87-85, in the final game of the Crossroads/Cascade Challenge inside the Manahan Orthopaedic Captial Center.
 
Chikara Tanaka converted an inside basket with 1:17 remaining to break an 81-81 tie, with the Pilots (5-0) getting two huge defensive stops to earn the neutral court victory.
 
OIT (1-3) rallied from a 66-60 deficit – regaining the lead at 69-68 on a Joey Potts 3-pointer – extending the margin to 78-73 on a Keegan Shivers runner. Unfortunately, Brandon Hunt hit a triple and Nathan Aerts canned four free throws to give the Indiana club the lead.
 
The Owls cut the margin to 85-84 on a Jamison Guerra 3-pointer, but Aerts hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to extend the lead to three. The Pilots fouled Erik Fraser with three seconds remaining – with Fraser making the first, but intentionally missing the second – and Bethel ran out the clock.
 
Potts had another great game for OIT, scoring 17 points, adding seven rebounds and three blocks, with Kam Osborn scoring 15 and Fraser tallying 13. Tech lost despite making 51-percent of their field goals.
 
Drew Lutz led BC with 28 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, with Tanaka scoring 19.
 
Tech returns to action next Saturday, hosting Pacific Union at 8:30 p.m.