Oregon Institute of Technology Athletics

COMING UP: at Simpson, Wednesday, 5 p.m.; vs. Pacific Union, Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
 
104.3 & 960-SPORTS TO CARRY LADY OWLS GAMES: All 22 Cascade Conference women's basketball games, the games this week at Simpson and at home vs. Pacific Union, along with all potential postseason contests, will be broadcast live in the Klamath Basin on 104.3 & 960 Sports (KLAD-AM). 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 Paul Poetsch Show. Fans outside the KLAD listening area can tune in online.
 
WATCH LIVE: Fans unable to make the trip to Redding for the Lady Owls game at Simpson can watch the contest online, along with Live Stats, via the Redhawks Sports Network. Saturday's game vs. Pacific Union will be streamed on the Owls Sports Network (simulcast with the KLAD radio broadcast), with Live Stats through OIT's SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
TICKET INFORMATION: 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.
 
TECH WINS EXHIBITION GAME AT LINFIELD: A dominant second half paved the way for the Lady Owls in their exhibition game at Linfield, outscoring the Wildcats 42-24 in the final 20 minutes – rolling to a 69-48 victory in McMinnville. OIT improved to 3-6 in exhibition games – including wins in 2013 over Division II Humboldt State and in 2015 over Division I Portland State.
 
FILLING THE STAT SHEET: The three returning starters for the Lady Owls each had big days at Linfield, headlining the road win. Olivia Sprague scored 17 points, adding six rebounds, five assists and two steals; Melissa Lee had 17 points, six rebounds and three steals; with Maddyson Tull scoring 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while converting all three of her free throw attempts. Three different players scored four points in the victory – Chelsea Ching, Alex Conley and Kennedy Tull – with Kayley Elliott pulling down six rebounds.
 
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Tech clamped down on Linfield on the defensive end, the third-straight game the Owls have posted impressive numbers. Through three games (including the exhibition), OIT has held foes to a 52-point scoring average and a 29-percent field goal shooting clip. The Lady Owls were stingy in surrendering the 3-pointer, holding the Cats to 7-of-27 shooting from long range.
 
ON THE GLASS: OIT continued to dominate the glass, recording a double-digit rebound margin for a third-straight game – finishing with a 52-31 rebound edge Last season, the Lady Owls outrebounded their opponents in 23-of-30 games, recording 10-more rebounds than their opponents on 13 occasions.
 
2-0 STARTS TO A SEASON: The Lady Owls have won back-to-back games to start a season for the eighth time – but just the second time since 2015. OIT started the 2005 and 2012 seasons 2-0, began the 2007 and 2011 seasons 4-0, opened last season 5-0 and started the 2008 season with a 6-0 mark. OIT posted their best starts to the season in 2013 and 2014 – opening 2013 with a 14-game win streak and starting 2014 with 8-straight wins.
 
IT'S CAL PAC WEEK: Tech will play their annual games against the rival California Pacific Conference this week – traveling to Redding for a midweek game against Simpson, before playing host Saturday to Pacific Union. The Lady Owls have had overwhelming success against the Cal Pac schools – combining for a 60-11 against the current schools (not including former league members Menlo, William Jessup, Bethany, Dominican, Notre Dame de Namur, Cal State-East Bay and Holy Names). OIT has a 23-5 series lead on Simpson and a 15-0 series lead on Pacific Union – along with a 6-3 edge in wins over UC-Merced and a 15-1 record vs. Cal Maritime.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – SIMPSON: The week starts Wednesday at Simpson, as the Redhawks (2-1) are off to a solid start to the season. SU picked up wins over Bethesda (96-52) and Bethel of Kansas (65-54), before losing a 22-point decision at Menlo. Free throw shooting has been the tonic for the Redhawks – as the team is averaging over 30 attempts per game, helping the squad overcome 20 turnovers a night. Forward Celina Tress (18.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg) has led SU in scoring in two of the three games, with Northwest grad transfer Livi Lindsey (13.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and senior Sandra Barrocal (9.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg) providing key scoring punch. OIT won last season's match-up in Klamath Falls, 83-37.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – PACIFIC UNION: Tech will look to keep their perfect record all-time against Pacific Union intact, as the Pioneers (0-3) make the trip to Klamath Falls on Saturday. PUC has failed to score 50 points in their first three games – including 50-point losses to Multnomah and Menlo – as the team has converted just 28-percent of their field goal attempts and 5-of-40 3-point chances. Guard Chelsea Shirley (11.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg) leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, with Makenzie Barnes (8.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Jessica Cueto (5.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg) each averaging 30 minutes per game.
 
THIS WEEK IN THE CASCADE CONFERENCE: OIT is one of five undefeated teams remaining in the CCC, as the Lady Owls and College of Idaho are 2-0, with Evergreen and Multnomah each 1-0 (Eastern Oregon has yet to play a game). Both Southern Oregon and Lewis-Clark State are off to tremendous starts – SOU sitting at 4-1, with LC State at 3-1. Key games this week including EOU and C of I meeting UC-Merced and Montana Tech in Caldwell, Warner Pacific playing games against Division III foes Willamette and George Fox, with Northwest hosting Whitworth.
 
SUCCESS AT DANNY MILES COURT: Danny Miles Court has been a difficult place for opponents since Tech brought women's basketball back as a varsity sport in 2002. Over the last 20 seasons, the Lady Owls have won 75-percent of their home dates – posting a stellar 226-73 overall mark. The 2012-13 squad finished the year with a 15-1 mark, while a season later, the Owls had a 16-2 record – at one point winning 19-consecutive home games. During that 20-year stretch, OIT had a winning record every season on their home floor.
 
OVER 90, UNDER 50 EQUAL WINS: OIT has scored 90-or-more points in a game 34 times, posting a 31-3 all-time record in the high-scoring contests. The Lady Owls will go into the weekend riding an 80-game win streak when allowing fewer than 50 points in a game, recording a 147-7 record in such games (last loss occurred in 2012, a 42-40 setback at Eastern Oregon).
 
NEXT WEEK: The Lady Owls will close their non-conference schedule in California, meeting Vanguard and William Jessup at the William Jessup Thanksgiving Classic in Rocklin.