Oregon Institute of Technology Athletics

NOTE GAME TIMES: Weekend game times have been adjusted to accommodate both the religious Sabbath for Walla Walla and to make turn around times more equitable for LC State. Friday's game at LC will be 30 minutes earlier (5 p.m.), while Saturday's game at WWU is set for 7 p.m.
 
LISTEN LIVE ON 104.3 & 960 SPORTS: All 22 Cascade Conference women's basketball games, along with all potential postseason contests, will be broadcast live in the Klamath Basin on 104.3 & 960 Sports (KLAD-AM). New OIT Sports Information Director, Mike Safford, will be on the call, filling in this weekend for the Hall of Fame Voice of the Owls, Bobby Thompson. Each broadcast begins 30 minutes prior to tip-off with the Paul Poetsch Show. Fans outside the KLAD listening area can tune in online.
 
WATCH ONLINE: Friday's game at LC State will be streamed through the Warrior Sports Network (PPV - $8.00) with Brian Danner on the call, while Saturday's game at Walla Walla will be carried on WWU's Stretch Internet Portal (PPV - $7.95). Live Stats will be available through the OIT SIDEARM Stats Portal. 
 
WIN STREAK REACHES SIX: A wire-to-wire win against Corban and a physical victory over Bushnell extended the OIT win streak to a season-high six games, moving the Lady Owls into fourth-place in the Cascade Conference standings. It equals a 6-game win streak (aided by two forfeit wins) from last season and is the club's longest CCC win streak since the 2018-19 season, when Tech won their final 12 league contests.
 
DEFENSE PAVES THE WAY: Defense has been key to the Owls 6-game win streak, posting big numbers in both weekend victories. Against Corban, Tech limited the Warriors to 53 points and held the Salem school to 20-percent shooting from 3-point range. A night later, OIT outrebounded Bushnell by 10, held the Beacons to 29-percent shooting from long range, while recording a season-high 16 steals off 28 turnovers.
 
NEAR PERFECT AT THE LINE: The Lady Owls narrowly missed tying a school record in Saturday's win, converting their first 20 free throw attempts and finishing the night 20-of-21 from the stripe. It was the third time an OIT team has made 20-or-more free throws with zero or one miss – as Tech was 21-of-21 from the line against Northwest Christian in 2017 and 20-of-21 vs. Fresno Pacific in 2009. The Owls lead the CCC in free throw percentage, connecting on nearly 76-percent of their freebies.
 
SPRAGUE EXTENDS STREAK, EARNS WEEKLY AWARD: For the second time this season, Olivia Sprague was honored as CCC Player of the Week, averaging 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in the victories. Sprague recorded her seventh 20-or-more point scoring game against Bushnell and her eighth game with 5-or-more assists vs. Corban. The CCC's leader in scoring average, assists average, steals average and 3-point percentage extended a streak of double-digit scoring games to 16 – second only to Nikki McElligott in OIT history, as McElligott had a 17-game streak and two 20-game streaks during her All-America career from 2003-05.
 
TULL SISTERS KEY TO OWLS SUCCESS: OIT got huge performances from 4-year forward Maddyson Tull and second-year guard Kennedy Tull in the home victories. The senior post ran her string of double-digit scoring games to six, scoring 13 points against Corban and logging her second double-double of the year with 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. Bushnell. She is 145 points away from the 1,000-point mark for her OIT career. The sophomore scored 11 points, with four assists and two steals against BU and made all six of her free throw attempts over the weekend.
 
LEE NEARING MILESTONE MARK: Melissa Lee filled the stat sheet in the opening games of 2023, combining for 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine steals in the two games – including a season-high five steals against Bushnell. The senior climbed the CCC statistical chart after the games, rising to No. 3 in the league in steals per game (2.2), No. 6 in blocks per game (1.3) and No. 15 in rebounds per game (6.8). Lee eclipsed the 600-point mark for her career against Bushnell and needs 17 rebounds, two assists and five blocks to join Nohea Waiwaiole as the only OIT players in program history with 600 points, 500 rebounds, 100 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocks.
 
GASCON HAS QUALITY WEEKEND: Point-guard Gabbie Gascon was instrumental in the two weekend wins, averaging seven points and four assists per game, connecting on 6-of-7 free throws. The freshman scored a career-high 11 points along with four assists – recording 3-or-more assists in each of the last six games.
 
LONG BUS RIDE AWAITS LADY OWLS: OIT will make the longest trip of their five CCC road weekends, traveling 511 miles from Klamath Falls to Lewiston, Idaho for Friday's date with Lewis-Clark State, cutting 102 miles off the return trek for Saturday's game at Walla Walla. The trip surpasses the 390 miles from Klamath to Caldwell (College of Idaho), the 429 miles to La Grande (Eastern Oregon) and the 459 miles to Kirkland (Northwest).
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – LEWIS-CLARK STATE: The final weekend of CCC first half starts at Lewis-Clark State, as Tech meets the No. 10-ranked team in the NAIA. The Warriors (14-1, 9-0 CCC) are riding a 14-game win streak, using a stifling defense that holds foes to 56 points a game, a 32-percent shooting clip and 18 turnovers a night – with nine of their last 10 opponents failing to crack the 60-point mark. Reigning CCC Player of the Year, Callie Stevens (13.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.8 apg) is the catalyst of the LC attack, joined by guards Hannah Broyles (12.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 41 3FGM) and Ellie Sander (11.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg), forward Maddie Holm (10.6 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and 6-foot-4 post Sara Muelhausen (9.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.6 bpg). It marks OIT's second all-time trip to the P1FCU Activity Center, dropping a 72-65 decision last season.
 
LAST TOP-10 WIN: The Lady Owls have played two Top-25 opponents this season, losing games to No. 15-ranked Vanguard and No. 18-ranked Southern Oregon. Tech last won a game against a Top-25 team in 2020 – a road win at No. 17-ranked Bushnell, while earned their last Top-10 victory in 2019, a home win against No. 9-ranked Eastern Oregon.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – WALLA WALLA: Saturday night, Tech meets a much-improved Walla Walla squad, coming off their first-ever back-to-back conference victories. The Wolves (3-9, 2-7 CCC) earned road wins at Multnomah and Warner Pacific, with eight of their nine CCC games decided by 10 points or less. WWU averages 55 points a game and make 37-percent of their field goals, but allow just 61 points a night and lead the CCC in defensive 3-point percentage (.231). Despite having a short bench (only seven total players on the squad), the Wolves duo of Jaliyah Casem (17.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Chariah Daniels (16.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg) are dangerous. OIT is a combined 17-0 all-time against WWU, including a 7-0 record in College Place.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Lewis-Clark State remained alone atop the CCC standings with a road sweep at Warner Pacific and Multnomah, Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon sit one game back after sweeping weekend games, while OIT finds themselves alone in fourth-place, just two games out of the top spot. Big match-ups dot the CCC schedule – as along with SOU and OIT heading to LC and Walla Walla, EOU and College of Idaho travel to Corban and Bushnell, with the Portland schools heading to Washington to meet Northwest and Evergreen.
 
RECORD BOOK: Four Lady Owls currently rank among the Top-50 in the career record book, paced by Melissa Lee, who is No. 4 all-time in blocked shots (95), No. 14 in rebounds (483), No. 16 in steals (115), No. 17 in free throws made (173), No. 21 in free throw attempts (236), No. 30 in games played (90), No. 39 in points scored (601), No. 41 in field goals made (211), No. 45 in assists (98) and field goal attempts (464), ranking just outside the Top-50 in 3-pointers made (8) and 3-point attempts (40). Maddyson Tull is No. 12 in field goals made (351), No. 18 in points scored (855), No. 23 in free throw attempts (233), No. 25 in blocked shots (30), No. 28 in free throws made (147), rebounds (395) and field goal attempts (643), ranking No. 33 in games played (82). Olivia Sprague is No. 22 in 3-pointers made (71), No. 24 in steals (87), No. 25 in 3-point attempts (163), No. 29 in assists (145), No. 37 in blocked shots (17), No. 41 in free throws made (103) and points scored (570), No. 42 in field goals made (198) and No. 47 in both free throw attempts (136) and field goal attempts (460), with Kennedy Tull No. 47 in 3-pointers made (14) and just outside the Top-50 in 3-point attempts (37).
 
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 231-74 overall mark, including a 7-1 home record this season. 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.
 
TOPS AT THE GATE: The Lady Owls have averaged 798 fans per game over their eight home dates this season (including four games with the OIT student body on break) – the No. 1 mark in both the CCC and the NAIA, well ahead of No. 2 Goshen (567) and No. 3 Concordia (563). Tech ranks No. 3 among all Oregon 4-year schools in attendance average – trailing only Oregon (6,113) and Oregon State (4,183), but ahead of Portland (644), Portland State (393), Southern Oregon (277), Western Oregon (155), George Fox (142), Willamette (139), Linfield (118) and Lewis & Clark (92) – with Eastern Oregon, Multnomah and Warner Pacific not reporting.
 
SCORING 90, ALLOWING UNDER 50 EQUAL WINS: OIT has scored 90-or-more points in a game 35 times, posting a 32-3 record in the high-scoring contests. The Lady Owls will go into the weekend riding an 83-game win streak when allowing fewer than 50 points in a game, recording a 157-8 record in such games (last loss occurred in 2012, a 42-40 setback at Eastern Oregon).
 
NEXT WEEK / PINK-OUT: Tech returns home next weekend – the start of back-to-back weekend homestands at Danny Miles Court. Next Friday (Jan. 20) is Rogue Credit Union Night against College of Idaho, featuring $1.00 popcorn, while next Saturday (Jan. 21) is the 12th Annual Pink-Out for Cancer, presented by Sky Lakes Breast Health Services, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a Pink-Out t-shirt.