KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – True freshman Noah Thomas scored a career-high 23 points, as Oregon Tech rode a 52-16 edge in points in the paint to a 92-67 victory over Evergreen State at Danny Miles Court.
 
Five Hustlin Owls (5-6, 2-3 CCC) scored in double-figures, with OIT holding a 48-30 rebound margin and connecting on a season-high 28 free throws in the home win.
 
Thomas and Joey Potts each scored four points in a 13-0 first half run that built the hosts a 23-7 lead nine minutes into the period. Jourdan Joseph rallied the Geoducks (1-6, 1-4), hitting four first half 3-pointers and teammate Jayden Upshaw scored the final five points of the half, pulling the visitors within 39-30 at the break.
 
"We came into the half a little complacent," said Thomas in a post-game interview on KLAD-FM. "The coaches refocused us and we worked the ball inside early in the half and as the game moved on, we ran the lanes and picked up the pace."
 
Kody Bauman scored 10 of his season-high 16 points in the second half, but the Owls were unable to put ESC away, with the Geoducks trailing just 71-60 with four minutes to play. Thomas and Jay Elmore took over – Thomas scoring 10 points and Elmore adding eight – part of a 21-1 run in a 3-minute stretch that ended ESC upset bid.
 
Thomas finished the night 8-of-11 from the field, with Bauman making 8-of-12 attempts from the floor – adding seven rebounds.  Kam Osborn scored 13, with Potts and Elmore scoring 11 and Kaison Faust leading all players with 12 rebounds.
 
Joseph scored 19 points, on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, with Upshaw tossing in 14 in the loss for the Geoducks, who fell to 0-22 all-time in the regular-season on the Owls home floor.
 
OIT returns to action over the final two days of the year – traveling to Warner Pacific on Dec. 30 and Multnomah on Dec. 31.