COMING UP: vs. Southern Oregon, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.; vs. Evergreen State, Friday, 7:30 p.m.; vs. Northwest, Saturday, 5 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTES
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: All 28 regular-season men's basketball games and all postseason contests will be broadcast live on 92.5 KLAD-FM with Mike Safford on the call - broadcasts will begin 30 minutes prior to tip-off with the Justin Parnell Coaches Show – simulcast with Live Video on the Owls Sports Network. Live Stats will be available through the OIT SIDEARM Stats Portal, with in-game updates for each game provided on "X" by following @OITMBB. Friday's game marks the annual Black-Out For Hunger game – as fans are asked to wear black and bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Klamath-Lake County Food Bank – with fans making a donation receiving a free Black-Out t-shirt while supplies last.
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – SOUTHERN OREGON: The Hustlin' Owls oldest rival makes their annual trip to the Basin, as Southern Oregon meets OIT for the 251st time, dating back 76 years. The Raiders (12-9, 10-5 CCC) make the trip over the hill following a 1-3 road trip – including a tough loss Saturday night at Multnomah. SOU is a stout defensive team, allowing just 69 points per game, but have struggled offensively at times, converting just 31-percent of their 3-point attempts. Transfer guard Casson Rouse (15.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg) had 26 points in the first meeting in Ashland and is the Raiders leading scorer, with point-guard Teron Bradford (9.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and forwards Dominic McGarvey (10.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Khalil Chatman (9.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg) both key offensive weapons. Including the 92-88 overtime win in December, Tech holds a 163-87 all-time series edge with Southern, including a 98-21 in home contests.
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – EVERGREEN STATE: Weekend action starts Friday, as Evergreen State makes the long trip from the Puget Sound region, looking for their first-ever regular-season win at OIT. The Geoducks (3-18, 2-14) swept a home doubleheader from Multnomah and Warner Pacific, but have since dropped seven-straight – including all five games in a recent homestand. TESC has struggled defensively this season, allowing 89 points a night (opponents are shooting 49-percent from the field) and rank last in the CCC in rebound margin (-15.5). The Geoducks can score the basketball, led by a trio of quick guards in Elijah McLaughlin (10.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg), Jayden Upshaw (9.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Mubarek Michael (8.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg), along with All-CCC post, Tyler Williford (7.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg). The Hustlin' Owls have won the past 15 meetings between the teams and have a 43-9 series edge, including a 27-2 mark in Klamath (the two losses were in postseason games).
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – NORTHWEST: The homestand closes out on Saturday, as Northwest makes the trip to the Basin, looking to keep their postseason hopes alive. The Eagles (6-16, 5-11) are battling with Multnomah and Walla Walla for the final CCC Tournament bid and are playing better – taking Corban to overtime on Saturday night. NU allows 85 points per game, with opponents forcing 14 turnovers a night and connecting on 47-percent of their field goals. The Washington school can score, as transfer forward Luke Howard (19.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg) is key to the Eagle success, as are wings Lewis Pope (14.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Caleb Whalen (7.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg), along with post Manuel Zapater (10.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg). OIT takes a 6-game win streak against NU in to the match-up, holding a 45-11 series lead, including a 28-2 mark in Klamath Falls.
 
PLAYOFF SPOT CLINCHED: With the win on Friday night at Multnomah, Tech clinched a playoff spot in the 8-team Cascade Conference Championships – the 30th-straight postseason appearance. The Owls have played extra games every season since the 1992-93 season (the CCC opted out of the postseason in 2020-21 due to COVID), including 19 of their 22 trips to the NAIA national tournament.
 
HUSTLIN' OWLS CLIMB TO NO. 23 IN TOP-25 POLL: Last week, OIT jumped one spot in the latest NAIA Top-25 poll, sitting at the No. 23 slot in the bi-weekly tabulation. It marks the third-straight polling period the Owls have been in the Top-25, after spending the previous two polls at No. 24. Tech is ranked No. 12 in the latest Victory Sports Network Top-25, No. 13 in the Massey computer index and No. 23 in the NAIA Hoops Report Top-25. The next Top-25 is set to be released on Feb. 14.
 
OFFENSE ON FIRE: During their current 3-game win streak, the Hustlin' Owls have made 102-of-185 field goal attempts (55-percent) – including a 61-percent shooting night at Warner Pacific. It was the third time this season OIT has logged a 60-percent shooting night – joining the 2017-18 team as the only squads in the last 25 years to have three 60-percent nights from the field in a season.
 
FROM DOWNTOWN: The Owls have been deadly of late from outside the 3-point line, averaging 12 3-point makes over the last three games, connecting on 52-percent of their long-range chances. In Saturday's win at Warner Pacific, OIT converted 15-of-25 3-point attempts – marking the fifth time in program history the squad has made 15-or-more 3's at a 60-percent or better clip – and the first time Tech's achieved the feat since 2011.
 
FRASER IMPRESSES AT HOME: Playing in his hometown, Erik Fraser had the best weekend of his OIT career, combining to average 17 points and five rebounds in the two wins. The junior was a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range, scoring 14 points, in the Friday win at Multnomah, adding 20 points (on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point land) at Warner Pacific. Fraser finished the weekend 13-of-19 from the floor and moved back into the Cascade Conference Top-10 in field goal percentage (.534).
 
JUNIORS KEY IN PORTLAND: Junior guards Kam Osborn, Keegan Shivers and Jay Elmore were instrumental in securing a sweep in Portland. Osborn paced Tech in Friday's win vs. Multnomah, leading the club with 18 points – the 16th double-digit scoring game of his season – including a key baseline jumper inside the final minute. Shivers had 16 points in the MU win – capping an outstanding 4-game road swing, where he connected on 13-of-25 3-point attempts. Elmore had a monster Saturday night, scoring a season-high 20 points, including 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range – improving his team-leading 3-point percentage to 46-percent.
 
BIG TRIP FOR THE FORWARDS: Along with the success of the backcourt, Tech got key production on the block in the two road victories. Starting post Blake Jensen scored 11 points and had four rebounds in Saturday's win at Warner Pacific – his 15th double-digit scoring game of the season. Kody Bauman was dominant at WP, scoring a season-high 19 points in the victory, converting 8-of-11 field goal attempts – pushing his season field goal percentage to 59-percent. Jackson Cooper continued his big second half, scoring 10 points with five boards at Multnomah, following it up with the second double-double of his season – an 11-point, 13-rebound effort at WP – finishing the weekend 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line.

AROUND THE CASCADE CONFERENCE: College of Idaho has taken control of the league standings – winning their last seven games by an average of 40 points. Tech sits one game back of second-place LC State in the standings and has a 2-game lead on fourth-place Corban. In addition, Northwest, Multnomah and Walla Walla are separated by one game battling for the final postseason spot. This weekend, along with Evergreen and Northwest heading to OIT and Southern, Multnomah and Warner Pacific travel to C of I and Eastern, with LC and Walla Walla off to Corban and Bushnell.
 
CONFERENCE LEADERS: As a team, OIT leads the Cascade Conference in field goal percentage (.509) and assists per game (17.0), ranking No. 2 in scoring average (86.8) and 3-point percentage (.395). Individually, Keegan Shivers leads the CCC in defensive rebounds (7.7), ranking No. 2 in 3-pointers made per game (2.8), No. 4 in rebounds per game (8.3) and No. 10 in 3-point percentage (.420); Blake Jensen is No. 1 in offensive rebounds per game (3.2), No. 3 in field goal percentage (.607) and No. 9 in rebounds per game (6.5); with Jamison Guerra is No. 1 in assists per game (7.1) and No. 9 in steals per game (1.3). Kody Bauman ranks No. 4 in field goal percentage (.590), Jay Elmore is No. 5 in 3-point percentage (.449) and Erik Fraser is No. 9 in field goal percentage (.534).
 
ATTENDANCE NUMBERS: Two Cascade Conference teams sit atop the NAIA attendance rankings, as College of Idaho (1,505) claimed the top spot, just ahead of the Hustlin' Owls (1,335) – both well ahead of Carroll (982) and Concordia-Nebraska (922) OIT's attendance average would rank No. 3 in the NCAA Division III, No. 8 in the Division II and No. 262 out of 361 Division I teams – with C of I and OIT among the Top-10 of all 35 4-year playing basketball schools in the Northwest in attendance (Top-10: Boise State, Oregon, Washington, Gonzaga, Oregon State, Washington State, C of I, Idaho, OIT, Seattle U).
 
SUCCESS IN DANNY'S HOUSE: Since OIT moved to their current campus in 1964, the Hustlin' Owls have had a decisive home floor advantage inside the Athletic Center – winning over 81-percent of their home games. Over the last 60 seasons Tech has played on what is now known as Danny Miles Court, the Owls hold a 781-178 overall record in the building – including an 94-18 mark under current head coach Justin Parnell. OIT has recorded a winning record in 57-of-59 seasons (going 5-7 in 1965-66 and 1-8 in 1970-71), including undefeated records four times (1986-87, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11). OIT finished 2022-23 with an 8-5 home record, their 52nd-straight winning season on their home floor and has a 7-2 mark at home in 2023-24.
 
OVER 1,000-STRAIGHT GAMES WITH A 3-POINTER: The 3-point shot has been key to the Hustlin' Owls success over the years, with Tech hitting a milestone by extending their string of games with a made 3-pointer to 1,004. OIT last failed to make a 3-pointer on Dec. 4, 1992, at Humboldt State, going 0-for-7 from outside the arch. During the current streak, the Owls made one 3-pointer in a game on five occasions. UNLV holds the current 3-point streak record (1,212), just ahead of CCC rival Corban (1,202), Duke (1,170) and College of Idaho (1,144).
 
CAREER RECORD BOOK: Seven members of the Hustlin' Owls are among the Top-75 in the OIT Men's Basketball Career Record Book. Keegan Shivers leads the group, ranking No. 7 in 3-pointers made (205), No. 11 in 3-point attempts (485), No. 22 in rebounds (540), No. 27 in field goal attempts (846), No. 30 in points scored (1,077), No. 39 in field goals made (368), No. 42 in assists (206), No. 48 in steals (72), No. 69 in free throws made (136) and No. 75 in free throw attempts (172). Jamison Guerra is No. 9 in assists (399), No. 34 in free throws made (197), No. 39 in free throw attempts (253), No. 40 in steals (80), No. 45 in 3-point attempts (230), No. 55 in points scored (853), No. 61 in 3-pointers made (64), No. 63 in field goal attempts (624) and No. 64 in field goals made (296); Jay Elmore is No. 45 in 3-pointers made (84) and No. 57 in 3-point attempts (203); Erik Fraser is No. 53 in 3-point attempts (208) and No. 54 in 3-pointers made (76); Kam Osborn is No. 57 in 3-pointers made (72) and No. 58 in 3-point attempts (201); Kody Bauman is No. 34 in blocked shots (30), with Blake Jensen No. 43 in blocked shots (25).
 
NEXT WEEK: Tech hits the road for the final time in the regular-season next weekend, playing games at Corban (Feb. 16) and Bushnell (Feb. 17), before returning home to close out the regular-season vs. Lewis-Clark State (Feb. 23) and Walla Walla (Feb. 24).