CALDWELL, Idaho – Tatum Schmerbach scored a season-high 20 points, helping Oregon Tech complete their first sweep of the difficult Eastern Oregon-College of Idaho road trip since 2016, as the Lady Owls topped C of I, 67-58, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
 
OIT (6-2, 2-0 CCC) ran their win streak to six in a row – holding their fourth-straight opponent below 34-percent shooting.
 
It marks the third time Tech has swept the trip – as the 2002-23 and 2015-16 teams also accomplished the feat.
 
After seven lead changes in the first quarter, the Owls used a 12-2 run spanning the opening frames to build a 26-17 lead. Gabbie Gascon started the run with a lay-up, with Kendall Fealey, Schmerbach and Alexis Elquist contributing baskets in the flurry. Schmerbach capped the half with a long 3-pointer with two seconds left in the period, giving Tech a 40-26 lead.
 
Schmerbach continued her big night early in the third quarter, knocking down two jumpers in an 8-1 run, giving the visitors their largest lead of the game at 48-29 – before the Yotes (2-5, 0-2) made a run.
 
Consecutive 3's from Kylie Waltermyer and McKenzie Hirsch keyed a 10-0 C of I, cutting the margin to 48-39. The Yotes were within 56-48, before Gascon hit a long triple as the shot clock expired with three minutes left and Tech closed the contest by making eight of their final 10 free throws.
 
Schmerbach added a team-best five assists, Gascon finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Elquist logged a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. OIT finished the night making 17-of-22 free throws.
 
Anna Mooney led C of I with 16 points and Hirsch scored 13 in the loss, as the Yotes made 19-of-57 field goal chances and committed 19 turnovers.
 
The Owls return home on Saturday night, hosting No. 4-ranked Southern Oregon at 5:30 p.m. It is Military Appreciation Night, presented by Winema Electric, with all current and retired military members and their families admitted free with an ID.