COMING UP: Host Lithia Classic – Southern Oregon vs. Park Gilbert, Friday, 3 p.m.; Oregon Tech vs. Park Gilbert, Saturday, 3 p.m.
GAME DAY INFORMATION: Saturday's home opener will be carried live on 104.3-FM and 960-AM, the Home of the Lady Owls. Mike Safford will have the
Joy Lease Coaches' Show 30-minutes prior to tip-off – simulcast online with audio through
MyBasin.com. Both Lithia Tournament games will have Live Stats available through the
OIT SIDEARM Stats Portal, with a live video steam available through the
Urban Edge Network.
OPPONENT PREVIEW – PARK GILBERT: The Buccaneers (2-2), from Gilbert, Ariz., make their second-straight trip to the Northwest - coming off a pair of losses in Lewiston, Idaho, to host LC State and Eastern Oregon. The Great Southwest Athletic Conference team opened the year with two wins over Nelson American Indian College, with the team averaging 73 points a night and forcing 27 turnovers a game. Three starters have been crucial to the Bucs success - Hermani Kalia (11.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg), Larken Hoar (10.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and Allie Cummings (9.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg).
SOUTHERN ALSO HERE: Also playing in the Classic is Southern Oregon, who meets Park Gilbert on Friday. Coming off a trip to the national quarterfinals, a new-look Raiders (2-2) team rebounded from road losses at Montana Tech and Montana Western with home victories over Simpson and The Master's. SOU has struggled offensively through four games, averaging 58 points a game and making just 31% of field goals, but their stellar defense (opponents averaging 61 points, while forcing 21 turnovers a night) is key. Returners Eliza DiGiulio (14.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Bridgette McIntyre (13.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg) anchor the Raider attack, along with newcomer Sage Winslow (12.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg).
TOURNAMENT HISTORY: For the ninth-straight year, the Lady Owls have partnered with Lithia Motors to host an event in Klamath Falls. OIT hosted the Lithia Classic from 2017-19 and were to host the event in 2020 before the season was shifted to the spring, with the tournament returning each of the past four seasons. It is the 16th straight year Tech has hosted a preseason women's basketball tournament – as in 2009 and 2010, the squad hosted the OIT Classic; from 2011-16, the Owls hosted the Midland Empire Classic; before Lithia picked up the title sponsorship in 2017. Both OIT and Southern Oregon have played in each of the previous events – SOU going 26-1 in tournament play, with OIT recording a 24-3 record. Teams making multiple appearances include Jessup (eight trips, 0-16 in tournament games), Cal Maritime (7 trips, 0-14 in tournament games) and Simpson (5 trips, 1-9 in tournament games). Last year, OIT and SOU swept Cal Maritime and UC Merced.
ONLY HOME NON-CONFERENCE GAME: Saturday's game with Park Gilbert is the Lady Owls only home non-conference game, as Tech will play seven games away from Klamath. OIT will return home to open Cascade Conference play against Northwest and Evergreen State in early December.
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 past 24 seasons, the Lady Owls have won 76-percent of their home dates – posting a stellar 260-81 overall record – including an 12-3 mark in 2024-25. 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. Every season since women's basketball returned to Tech in 2002-03, the Owls have had a winning record every season on their home floor.
LADY OWLS OPEN SEASON WITH SWEEP: OIT opened the season with two neutral site wins, topping Simpson, 84-50, before outlasting defending GSAC Tournament champ, The Master's in overtime, 84-80. Against SU, Tech used a 34-4 run between the second and third quarters to blow the game wide open, while vs. TMU, a
Tatum Schmerbach lay-up inside the final minute forced overtime and a
Jozie Ramos lay-up gave the Owls the lead for good in the extra session.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Tech scored the basketball in the two games, converting 47% of their field goal attempts (including 50% vs. The Master's) – but only made 3-of-24 3-point attempts. The Lady Owls were helped in both contests by averaging 29 free throw attempts a game. Defense was key, as the OIT opponents converted just 36% of their chances, with the Owls posting a plus-9.5 rebound margin and forcing 22 turnovers a game.
IN OVERTIME: Friday's win over The Master's was the Lady Owls second-straight victory in an overtime game – claiming a win last season at Walla Walla. The two wins come off a string of 5-straight overtime losses over a 5-year span, dating back to the COVID spring season. It was the 34th all-time overtime game, with OIT 14-20 in those contests, including a 3-3 mark in double-overtime games.
SCHMERBACH EXPLODES, EARNS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The key to the Lady Owls success in Ashland was the play of
Tatum Schmerbach, who earned CCC Player of the Week after averaging 25.5 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the wins. The junior had 17 points, seven rebounds and nine assists vs. Simpson, before erupting for 34 points, nine rebounds and seven assists vs. The Master's. The 34 points were the most by an OIT women's player since the program returned in 2002 and the most points since Shelly Isaacs scored 37 in 1986. Schmerbach set a school record with 32 field goal attempts and posted the No. 2 field goal makes (15) mark.
RAMOS EFFICIENT ON THE BLOCK: All-CCC forward
Jozie Ramos started the new season with a pair of outstanding performances in Ashland, combining to make 71% of her field goal chances. The junior recorded the 37th and 38th double-digit scoring games as a Lady Owl, scoring 14 points with nine rebounds vs. Simpson and 15 points and three blocks vs. The Master's.
ANDERSON ON POINT: Point-guard
Brooke Anderson had an outstanding Raider Classic, combining for seven assists and just two turnovers in the two victories. Anderson opened with 12 points and seven rebounds against Simpson, followed by scoring 15 points with five rebounds and five assists vs. The Master's.
FEALEY GETS DEFENSIVE: Making her first collegiate starts,
Kendall Fealey was instrumental on the defensive end of the floor in the road wins. The junior had three blocks on Thursday afternoon and followed it up with a career-high nine rebounds, two blocks and three steals in the overtime win – while averaging five points, six rebounds and four assists a game.
ANDREWS HAS BREAKOUT WEEKEND: Post
Avery Andrews was key in the two victories, seeing extending playing time in both games. The sophomore recorded career-highs with 11 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes of action vs. Simpson, adding eight points in the win over The Master's.
FRESHMEN DEBUT: Two freshmen made their collegiate debuts in Ashland, as
Ayla Marston and
Maddie Eischen helped the Lady Owls earn two wins. Marston started both contests – averaging five points, four rebounds and four assists a game, including six assists in the win vs. The Master's, while Marsten scored six points in the Thursday win over Simpson.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: The CCC had outstanding results last weekend, as along with OIT and Southern sweeping Simpson and The Master's, Eastern Oregon and Lewis-Clark State earned swept Park Gilbert and Montana Western. Both Corban and Bushnell met Hope International (with Corban earning a win), while Warner Pacific and Northwest lost games against NCAA competition. This week, College of Idaho travels to California to face HIU and La Sierra, Corban heads to Western Oregon and George Fox, Warner Pacific plays at Simpson and Pacific Union, while Bushnell and Northwest face D-III teams.
LADY OWLS RANKED 15TH: Despite a 2-0 start to the year, the Lady Owls dropped one spot to No. 15 in the first regular-season NAIA Top-25 Coaches' Poll. OIT is joined in the poll by four opponents – No. 6 Freed-Hardeman, No. 19 Cumberlands and No. 24 Lindsey Wilson, along with league rival, No. 7 Lewis-Clark State. It is the fifth-straight polling period the Lady Owls have been in the Top-25.
TECH PICKED SECOND IN CCC POLL: For the second-straight year, OIT was picked second in the 2025-26 Cascade Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, released on Oct. 17. The Lady Owls received three first-place votes and 102 points from the 11 league coaches – trailing only Lewis-Clark State (110), with Southern Oregon (101) and College of Idaho (100) right behind Tech.
RECORD BOOK: Six Lady Owls are currently ranked among the Top-50 in the OIT record book, led by
Olivia Sprague, who is No. 2 in field goal attempts (1,133), No. 3 in steals (179), No. 4 in points scored (1,344), field goals made (478) and 3-pointers made (165), No. 5 in 3-point attempts (427), No. 8 in assists (306), No. 9 in free throws made (223) No. 15 in free throw attempts (274), No. 19 in blocked shots (40), No. 20 in rebounds (459) and ranking No. 34 in games played (90).
Gabbie Gascon is No. 8 in free throws made (233), No. 10 in steals (146), No. 11 in assists (274), No. 13 in free throw attempts (280), No. 17 in 3-pointers made (83), No. 19 in 3-point attempts (260), No. 21 in points scored (806), No. 36 in field goal attempts (601), No. 39 in field goals made (245), ranking No. 41 in rebounds (315) and games played (79);
Jozie Ramos is No. 7 in blocked shots (75), No. 20 in free throws made (181) and free throw attempts (252), No. 31 in field goals made (263), No. 33 in points scored (714), No. 39 in rebounds (336), No. 47 in field goal attempts (490) and games played (65), ranking just outside the Top-50 in steals (49);
Tatum Schmerbach is No. 13 in assists (235), No. 21 in field goals made (305), No. 24 in rebounds (441), No. 25 in field goal attempts (686) and blocks (33), No. 31 in points scored (719), No. 34 in 3-point attempts (125), No. 37 in 3-pointers made (32), No. 47 in games played (65) and just outside the Top-50 in steals (55), free throws made (77) and free throw attempts (116);
Kendall Fealey is No. 26 in steals (86), No. 35 in blocked shots (26) and No. 47 in games played (65); with
Chelsea Ching No. 47 in games played (65) and just outside the Top-50 in 3-pointers made (11) and attempted (49).
SCORING 90, ALLOWING UNDER 50 EQUAL WINS: OIT has scored 90-or-more points in a game 42 times, posting a 39-3 record in the high-scoring contests. The Lady Owls are riding a 99-game win streak when allowing fewer than 50 points in a game, recording a 173-8 record in such games (last loss occurred in 2012, a 42-40 setback at Eastern Oregon).
UP NEXT: The Lady Owls embark on a week-long road trip to the Mid-South, playing games in Kentucky and Tennessee against three Top-25 clubs – Freed-Hardeman, Cumberlands and Lindsey Wilson.
