COMING UP: vs. Warner Pacific, Friday, 5:30 p.m.; vs. Multnomah, Saturday, 3 p.m.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: Both weekend games, along with all remaining Lady Owls contests, will be broadcast live in the Klamath Basin on 104.3/960 Sports with Mike Safford on the call – simulcast with video on the Owls Sports Network. Broadcasts will begin 30 minutes prior to tip-off with the Joy Lease Coaches Show. Live Stats are available online through OIT's SIDEARM Stats Portal, with in-game updates provided on "X" by following @OITWBB.  Avoid ticket lines by purchasing single-game tickets online via the OIT Ticket Portal, with Friday's game a White Out, presented by Rogue Credit Union – as all fans are encouraged to wear white (with popcorn available for $1.00)
 
MULTIMEDIA: Photos from the 2023-24 season, including games from the recent Washington road trip, have been posted online via the OIT Women's Basketball Flickr Page, while highlight clips and interviews posted online via the new OIT Women's Basketball YouTube Channel.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – WARNER PACIFIC: The most-surprising team in the CCC travels to the Basin Friday night, as first-year head coach Jimmy Smith takes Warner Pacific out of the Willamette Valley for the first time. The Knights (6-4, 4-2 CCC) were picked last in the CCC preseason poll, but have played solid defense (58.0 ppg) and hold a plus-six rebound margin on their opponents. Top scorers for WP include McKeeley Tonkin (10.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Teirra Hicks (9.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg), with 6-foot post Emily Brown (9.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg) the top rebounder and Paityn Rhode (6.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg) coming off a 6-for-7 shooting night from 3-point range in a win over Multnomah.
 
HISTORY VS. THE KNIGHTS: Friday's game with Warner Pacific is the 65th meeting between the old District 2 rivals, with OIT holding a 42-22 all-time series lead. The Owls have won 6-of-7 meetings (and 19 of the last 23), including a series sweep last season. Tech is 23-7 all-time against the Knights in Klamath Falls.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – MULTNOMAH: Expect a high-scoring, uptempo game on Saturday, as Multnomah brings an offense that makes over eight 3-pointers per game to Klamath Falls. The Lions (4-8, 1-5) are averaging 72 points per game and force 18 turnovers a night, but are allowing nearly nine more rebounds a game to their foes. The CCC's leading scorer, Savannah Huerta (21.2 ppg, 2.6 apg), is the top offensive option, connecting on 41-percent of her 3-point attempts. Both Kailyn Allison (13.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Mia Martineau (9.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg) have been key to the Multnomah offense, with 6-foot post, Gracie Browning (7.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg) the only player for the Lions taller than 5-foot-9.
 
HISTORY VS. THE LIONS: The Owls look to preserve an unblemished all-time record against Multnomah, taking a 16-0 mark against the Lions into Saturday's game. Seven of the wins have been in the Basin – with last season's 67-56 win the closest of the meetings.
 
AFTER THE BREAK: Friday night, Tech will put a 6-game win streak in their opening game after Christmas on the line. Match-ups at this time of the year versus Warner Pacific and Multnomah have been the norm, as the Lady Owls have met the Portland schools seven of the last eight seasons immediately after Christmas.
 
BEST STARTS: The 11-0 start by the Lady Owls is the second time OIT has opened a season with 11-consecutive wins. During the 2013-14 season, OIT established a school record by winning their first 14 games, eventually winning the Cascade Conference Tournament title and advancing to the NAIA Division II National Tournament.
 
WIN STREAKS: The Lady Owls take an 11-game win streak into the weekend – the fourth-longest win streak in program history. The 2018-19 squad won 13-straight, the 2013-14 team opened the year with 14-straight wins, with the 2004-05 squad setting the current school record with 16-straight victories. Tech holds a 6-game win streak on the road, chasing a 10-game win streak mark established between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. The 5-0 start in CCC play equals the best in program history, as the 2019-20, 2006-07 and 2003-04 teams accomplished the 5-0 mark.
 
RATINGS: For the first time since November of 2021, the Lady Owls received votes in the current NAIA Top-25 Coaches' Poll, earning four points from the 21 national raters. OIT, one of seven unbeaten teams remaining in the association, last entered the Top-25 during the 2019-20 NAIA Division II preseason poll (at No. 21). In the current Massey Rating computer index, Tech sits at No. 16 – the top team in the CCC – ahead of No. 17 LC State. Both LCSC (No. 7) and SOU (No. 20) were ranked in the latest NAIA Top-25 poll.
 
TOP-25 VICTORIES: The 68-59 win at No. 20 Southern Oregon was OIT's second win of the year against a Top-25 school (defeated No. 18 Eastern Oregon on Dec. 1). Tech last recorded more than two Top-25 wins in 2018-19 – when the club earned four victories against ranked opponents.
 
ENDING DROUGHT VS. STATE SCHOOL RIVALS: For the first time since the 2018-19, the Lady Owls earned consecutive wins against rivals Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon – snapping long losing streaks against their rivals. The Dec. 1 win over EOU ended an 8-game losing streak vs. the Mounties, with the Dec. 20 win at SOU stopping a 6-game skid against the Raiders.
 
GASCON HAS CAREER NIGHT: Leading the way in Ashland was Gabbie Gascon, blitzing the Raider defense for a career-high 22 points in the win. The point-guard converted both 3-point attempts and was a perfect 10-for-10 at the foul line – the eighth OIT player to make 10-or-more free throws in a game without a miss. For the year, Gascon is averaging 12 points, four rebounds and four assists per game.
 
FRESHMAN WINS BATTLE OF SISTERS: The game at SOU was the first featuring Tech's Tatum Schmerbach against big sister and Raider forward Emma Schmerbach. The Lady Owl rookie got the best of her sibling, scoring six points with a team-high nine rebounds – while playing key defense against SOU post Kami Walk – while the elder Schmerbach finishing 0-of-8 from the field in the loss.
 
SPRAGUE NEARS MILESTONE: Olivia Sprague inched closer to the 1,000-point mark for her OIT career, scoring 13 points with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals at Southern. Sprague has 11-straight double-digit scoring games to start the 2023-24 season and is the lone player in the CCC to rank in the Top-10 in the five major stat categories. The junior needs 32 points to become the 13th member of the elite club.
 
ELQUIST KEY AT SOU: Post Alexis Elquist had a quality night in Ashland, converting 6-of-10 field goal chances, scoring 13 points in the win. It marked the fourth double-digit scoring game of the season for the senior.
 
FRESHMEN IMPRESS LATE: OIT turned to two freshmen reserves in the fourth quarter at Southern – as Kendall Fealey and Jozie Ramos played the bulk of minutes down the stretch. Fealey played 19 minutes in the win, scoring six points, adding three rebounds and two steals, with Ramos playing 20 minutes, posting three points, five boards and two blocks.
 
DEFENSE THE KEY: The Lady Owls have dominated their past three opponents on the defensive end – holding Northwest, Evergreen and Southern to a combined 28-percent shooting percentage (48-of-167) and 14-percent shooting from 3-point range (7-of-48). Tech has held opponents to 56 points per game, while winning the rebound margin in all 11 contests.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Three teams during the break completed their travel partner series – with LC State, Eastern Oregon and Warner Pacific earning wins. Tech holds a 1-game lead on Southern Oregon and LC atop the division, while seven teams are within 1-game of sixth-place. Along with WP and Multnomah heading to SOU and OIT, LC and Walla Walla travel to C of I and EOU, while Corban and Bushnell host Evergreen and Northwest.
 
LEAGUE LEADERS: Tech leads the CCC in seven team statistical categories – scoring offense (76.3), scoring margin (+19.6), field goal percentage (.467), 3-point percentage (.314), defensive field goal percentage (.337), rebound margin (+10.8) and assists per game (18.5), ranking No. 2 in scoring defense (56.6) and blocks per game (4.1). Six players rank among the CCC Top-10, led by Olivia Sprague, who leads the league in assists per game (4.4), ranking No. 2 in scoring average (17.8), No. 3 in free throw percentage (.906), No. 4 in 3-point percentage (.377), No. 5 in steals per game (2.5), No. 7 in rebounds per game (7.0) and No. 9 in blocks per game (0.9). Gabbie Gascon leads the CCC in free throw percentage (.927) and is No. 3 in assists per game (3.9) and No. 9 in both field goal percentage (.461) and 3-point percentage (.353); Jozie Ramos leads the CCC in field goal percentage (.630) and is No. 5 in blocks per game (1.0); Alexis Elquist is No. 8 in field goal percentage (.468) and No. 10 in rebounds per game (6.5); Tatum Schmerbach is No. 7 in assists per game (3.0); with Kennedy Tull No. 10 in field goal percentage (.460).
 
ATTENDANCE NUMBERS: Through three home games, the Lady Owls are averaging 930 a contest – No. 2 in the NAIA. Tech trails only Carroll College (1,170), with the Owls holding a sizeable lead on No. 3 Concordia-Nebraska (775). OIT would rank No. 2 in attendance in the NCAA Division III, No. 10 in the Division II and rank 186th of 362 Division I programs – including No. 3 among all Oregon schools (trailing only Oregon and Oregon State).
 
RECORD BOOK: Five Lady Owls currently rank among the Top-50 in the OIT record book, led by Olivia Sprague, who is No. 11 in assists (244), No. 12 in 3-pointers made (123), No. 13 in steals (133), 3-point attempts (312) and points scored (968), No. 14 in field goals made (341), No. 15 in field goal attempts (827), No. 25 in free throws made (163), No. 28 in blocked shots (29), No. 30 in free throw attempts (203), ranking No. 37 in rebounds (316). Kennedy Tull ranks No. 31 in free throws made (136), No. 36 in 3-pointers made (29) and free throw attempts (177), No. 37 in 3-point attempts (86), ranking just outside the Top-50 in points scored (409); Gabbie Gascon is No. 34 in 3-point attempts (103), No. 37 in 3-pointers made (28), No. 38 in assists (122), No. 45 in free throws made (96) and just outside the Top-50 in steals (57) and free throw attempts (110); Kayley Elliott is No. 41 in blocked shots (16), No. 48 in 3-pointers made (15) and just outside the Top-50 in 3-point attempts (52); with Alexis Elquist No. 34 in blocked shots (19) and is just outside the Top-50 in 3-point attempts (53) and 3-pointers made (12).
 
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 22 seasons, the Lady Owls have won 76-percent of their home dates – posting a stellar 239-76 overall mark, including a 3-0 mark 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 the past 21 seasons, OIT had a winning record every season on their home floor.
 
SCORING 90, ALLOWING UNDER 50 EQUAL WINS: OIT has scored 90-or-more points in a game 36 times, posting a 33-3 record in the high-scoring contests. The Lady Owls are riding an 90-game win streak when allowing fewer than 50 points in a game (including both weekend wins), recording a 164-8 record in such games (last loss occurred in 2012, a 42-40 setback at Eastern Oregon).
 
NEXT WEEK: The Lady Owls hit the road next weekend, playing a lunchtime matinee at Walla Walla (Jan. 12) and an afternoon date at Lewis-Clark State (Jan. 13).