COLLEGE PLACE, Wash. – Playing inside a frigid Windemuth Court, Oregon Tech used a 24-8 fourth quarter run to erase a Walla Walla lead, as the Lady Owls tied their best start in program history with a 71-64 victory over the Wolves.
 
Olivia Sprague and Gabbie Gascon combined to scored 18 points in the period, as OIT (14-0, 8-0 CCC) equaled the 2013-14 team that opened a season 14-0 – tying the second-longest win streak in program history.
 
It wasn't easy for the league-leading Owls – as the upstart Wolves (5-9, 2-7) made 6-of-10 3-point baskets in the opening half. Grace Casagrande hit back-to-back triples and Jaliyah Casem added another, giving the hosts a 34-32 lead at the half.
 
The WWU lead grew to 52-47 on a Casem free throw early in the fourth quarter – before the Tech backcourt took over. Kendall Fealey canned a midrange jumper and Sprague converted a tough 3-point play to tie the score. Alexis Elquist gave the Owls their first lead since the second quarter with an offensive rebound and put back and Gascon stole a pass at midcourt and scored in transition to extend the margin to 56-52.
 
Gascon would put the game away, making 8-of-8 free throws in the final five minutes, with a Sprague 3-point play pushing the lead to 71-60 in the waning moments.
 
OIT finished the night making 47-percent of their field goals, but failed to convert a 3-point basket for the first time in three seasons (going 0-for-8) – and just the second time in a decade.
 
Sprague led the Lady Owls with 22 points, with Gascon recording 14 points, seven assists and four steals. Kayley Elliott scored nine off the bench, with Elquist and Jozie Ramos tallying six. OIT finished with a 35-29 rebound edge - including a career-best 14 boards from Tatum Schmerbach. The game was played inside a cold arena, as the heating system inside WWU's gym failed – with temperatures outside in the single-digits.
 
Casem led all scorers with 25 points, but the Owls limited the hosts to 34-percent shooting in the second half.
 
OIT heads to Lewiston, Idaho, tomorrow for a first-place showdown with No. 7 ranked Lewis-Clark State at 4 p.m. – live on 104.3 and 960 Sports.