COMING UP: at Evergreen State, Friday, 7:30 p.m.; at Northwest, Saturday, 5 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: All 22 Cascade Conference games will be broadcast live on radio in the Klamath Basin on Oregon's County Giant, 92.5 KLAD-FM, beginning with the Justin Parnell Coaches' Show 30-minutes prior to tip-off – with an audio simulcast online through MyBasin.com. Video of both games will be available through YouTube – Friday through the Evergreen State Channel and Saturday through the Northwest Channel, with Live Stats are available through the OIT SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
MULTIMEDIA: Photos from the 2024-25 season, including both weekend games, are posted online via the OIT Men's Basketball Flickr Page, with highlight clips from Saturday's home win over Eastern Oregon is posted online via the OIT Men's Basketball YouTube Channel.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – EVERGREEN STATE: The long jaunt up Interstate 5 begins at Evergreen State, as the Owls put a 17-game win streak on the line in the series vs. the Geoducks (1-15, 1-12 CCC). TESC has dropped 10-in-a-row – averaging just 66 points a game with a minus-11 rebound margin, but have played much better of late, losing their last three games by a combined 13 points, making 52% of their field goals and averaging 87 points in the tight games. Leading scorer Jourdan Joseph (15.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) did not play in the first meeting, a 103-58 OIT win earlier this month, with the Geoducks getting production from Bradley Graham (12.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg) and Garret Long (7.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg). TESC guard Jerry Boston Jr. (6.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg) is the son of former OIT player Gerald Boston, who played at Tech from 1998-00. It is the 55th all-time meeting, with the Owls holding a 45-9 series edge.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – NORTHWEST: The middle game of the 3-game road trip is set for the shores of Lake Washington, as Tech looks for a season sweep of Northwest. The Eagles (3-16, 2-11) snapped an 8-game losing streak last Friday at Walla Walla, but the team still ranks in the bottom third of the CCC stat rankings for scoring offense (67.8), field goal percentage (.411) and turnovers a game (14.0). Forward Nash Wobrock (13.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg) is NU's top scorer, with guards Trent Williams (8.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and Ethan Martin (8.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg), along with forward Manuel Zapater (6.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg) pacing the attack. OIT held NU to 3-of-21 shooting from 3-point range in an 85-56 win earlier this month, the eighth-straight win in the series, improving the Owls all-time mark vs. the Eagles to 47-11.
 
INSIDE THE RANKINGS: Tech climbed to No. 20 in the NAIA RPI Index, their highest position of the season – a week removed from earning the No. 6 spot in the initial NAIA West ARC rating. In the ARC rating, OIT is one of seven CCC teams listed, led by College of Idaho, followed by The Master's, Arizona Christian, Montana Tech, Hope International and the Owls. Tech sits at No. 20 in the latest NAIA Hoops Report Top-25 poll, with the official NAIA coaches poll set to be released on Jan. 29.
 
THANK YOU FANS: It was an electric atmosphere at Danny Miles Court in the weekend games, as over 2,000 fans attended both games. It marked the first crowd of over 2,000 fans since 2011 and the 2,070 fans on Saturday the most since 2009-10 – part of a string of 3-straight sellout crowds. OIT improved their season attendance average to 1,624, tops in the NAIA (ahead of College of Idaho – 1,335, LC State – 715, Evangel – 707 and Taylor – 668), with the Owls ranking No. 8 among all Northwest basketball schools (Boise State – 10,642, Oregon – 7,078, Gonzaga – 6,902, Washington – 6,782, Oregon State – 3,698, Washington State – 3,613, Idaho – 1,754, OIT – 1,624, Eastern Washington – 1,479, Portland – 1,386). Tech ranks ahead of 133 Division I teams in attendance and would lead the Patriot League, Northeast Conference and Ohio Valley Conference, with the Owls No. 3 among all Oregon basketball schools (Oregon – 7,078, Oregon State – 3,698, OIT 1,624, Portland – 1,386, Portland State – 666, Southern Oregon – 501, Pacific – 249, Willamette – 235, George Fox – 228, Corban – 189).
 
LAST SECOND WINS: The Owls needed all 40 minutes to secure a season sweep of Eastern Oregon, converting a pair of free throws inside the final three seconds for an 85-84 victory. It was the sixth time this season that OIT has played a game which featured a one-score margin within the final minute of play – including both wins over EOU and a double-overtime win over Southern Oregon.
 
CONVERTING FROM THE LINE: Making free throws was Tech's tonic against EOU, knocking down a season-high 29 freebies on 34 attempts – including both Kam Osborn and Jamison Guerra finishing the evening 8-for-8 at the stripe. It was just the fourth time in the last five season the Owls have made 29-or-more free throws in a game.
 
MAKING 3'S: The 3-point shot paced Tech throughout the weekend, converting 21-of-50 triples in the two games – making double-digit 3's on back-to-back nights for the first time this season. The shooting prowess helped the Owls climb their season 3-point percentage to 35.1% - No. 3 in the CCC.
 
REBOUND WARRIORS: OIT ran their string of wins in the rebound game to nine in the games vs. College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon. In each of the games, the Owls have posted at least 10 offensive boards – including 16 in the Saturday win over EOU – with Tech ranking No. 2 in CCC games, averaging 13.4 offensive rebounds a night.
 
JENSEN CLUTCHES UP: Post Blake Jensen was the hero on Saturday night, calmly hitting two free throws with two seconds left to provide the winning margin in OIT's win over EOU. The senior had 15 points and seven rebounds in the victory, finishing the weekend a combined 13-of-15 from the foul line – improving his season free throw percentage to 71.3%.
 
SHIVERS NEAR MILESTONES: A pair of big efforts by Keegan Shivers put the senior on the cusp of two career milestones. The guard scored 20 points vs. C of I – his 17th 20-point game of his career – while scoring 15 vs. EOU, knocking down a go-ahead 3-pointer inside the final 30 seconds. Shivers ended the weekend with 1,499 career points – one point away from becoming the fourth player to score 1,500 points in a career and joining Herb McEachin as the only OIT players to record 1,500 points and 700 rebounds in a career. Shivers made six 3-pointers in the two games, moving within five 3-pointers from tying Bob Townsend's school mark of 272.
 
GUARDS HAVE SOLID WEEKEND: Both of Tech's starting guards had quality weekend, as Kam Osborn and Jamison Guerra continued big senior seasons. Osborn tied a career-high with five made 3's vs. C of I, scoring 21 points, adding 18 vs. Eastern – improving his 3-point percentage over the last six games to 15-of-30 (50%). Guerra recorded a career-high 11 rebounds vs. C of I, recording his eighth career double-double with 13 points, while adding 15 points vs. EOU. The point-guard now sits eight assists away from becoming OIT's fourth player with 600 career assists.
 
ELMORE IS EASTERN'S KRYPTONITE: In two games vs. Eastern Oregon, Mountaineer players will see OIT guard Jay Elmore in their nightmares. The senior hit 2-of-3 3-pointers in Saturday's win (adding two free throws after a foul on a 3-point chance) – with Elmore a combined 7-of-10 from 3-point range this season vs. EOU.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: A weekend sweep by C of I gave the Coyotes a game and a half lead on Tech atop the CCC standings, with the Owls holding a game and a half lead on third-place Corban and LC State. The standings will shake up this weekend, as C of I and Eastern travel to Corban and Bushnell, Multnomah and Warner Pacific make the trip to LC State and Walla Walla, with SOU and OIT off to Northwest and Evergreen State.
 
LEAGUE LEADERS: As a team, the Hustlin' Owls rank second in the CCC in scoring offense (84.3), scoring margin (+10.3), rebound margin (+8.2) and defensive 3-point percentage (.296), ranking No. 3 in field goal percentage (.488) and 3-point percentage (.351), No. 4 in assists per game (14.8), No. 5 in 3-pointers per game (7.7), No. 6 in scoring defense (73.9) and steals per game (6.2), No. 8 in free throw percentage (.704) and No. 10 in blocks per game (1.8). Individually, Jamison Guerra leads the CCC in assists per game (5.9), ranking No. 3 in steals per game (1.6) and No. 10 in 3-point percentage (.418), with Blake Jensen leading the league in field goal percentage (.660), ranking No. 5 in offensive rebounds per game (3.1) and No. 9 in rebounds per game (6.7). Kam Osborn is No. 4 in free throw percentage (.873), Keegan Shivers s No. 5 in 3-pointers made per game (2.1) and No. 10 in both scoring average (14.5) and rebounds per game (6.6), with Jackson Cooper No. 9 in field goal percentage (.543).
 
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 61 seasons Tech has played on what is now known as Danny Miles Court, the Owls hold a 794-181 overall record in the building – including an 107-21 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). The Owls currently are 8-2 at home, needing one more home victory for their 54th-straight winning season on their home floor.
 
RECORD BOOK:  Six players rank among the Top-75 of the Hustlin' Owls career record book, led by Keegan Shivers, who ranks No. 2 in 3-pointers made (267) and 3-point attempts (679), No. 5 in points scored (1,499), No. 7 in field goal attempts (1,176), No. 8 in rebounds (746), No. 9 in field goals made (513), No. 30 in assists (278), No. 32 in free throws made (207), No. 33 in games played (120), No. 34 in steals (90), ranking No. 38 in free throw attempts (261) and No. 59 in blocked shots (19). Jamison Guerra is No. 4 in assists (592), No. 11 in free throws made (278), No. 12 in free throw attempts (370), No. 14 in steals (130), No. 20 in points scored (1,230), No. 22 in field goal attempts (946), No. 26 in field goals made (428), No. 33 in 3-point attempts (314) and in games played (120) and No. 40 in 3-pointers made (96); Kam Osborn is No. 28 in 3-point attempts (332), No. 29 in 3-pointers made (123), No. 31 in free throws made (210), No. 32 in points scored (1,069) and field goal attempts (824), No. 35 in free throw attempts (272), No. 41 in field goals made (368), No. 47 in assists (193), No. 57 in games played (96) and No. 64 in steals (56); Erik Fraser is No. 29 in 3-point attempts (324), No. 33 in 3-pointers made (111), No. 47 in steals (74), No. 48 in blocked shots (22), No. 49 in games played (105), No. 61 in field goal attempts (642), No. 66 in field goals made (295), No. 67 in points scored (803), ranking No. 74 in rebounds (341); Blake Jensen is No. 18 in free throw attempts (315), No. 26 in blocked shots (40), No. 28 in free throws made (218), No. 33 in rebounds (484), No. 56 in games played (97), No. 74 in field goals made (280) and No. 75 in points scored (772); with Jay Elmore No. 30 in 3-pointers made (122) and No. 36 in 3-point attempts (288).
 
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 extending their string of games with a made 3-pointer to 1,034. 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 (1,249) and Duke (1,245) hold the current 3-point streak record, just ahead of CCC rivals Corban (1,231) and College of Idaho (1,183), along with East Tennessee State (1,179).
 
NEXT WEEK: The Hustlin' Owls close out their road trip on Tuesday for a rivalry match-up at  Southern Oregon, before returning home for two home dates. Next Friday (Feb. 7) vs. Corban is the annual Blackout For Hunger night, as the first 500 fans to make a food/cash donation to the Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank receives a Blackout t-shirt, with Tech hosting Bushnell next Saturday (Feb. 8).