KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech made 10-straight free throws inside the final 43-seconds of play, as the Lady Owls outlasted a short-handed Multnomah Campus of Jessup University squad, 93-88 at Danny Miles Court, to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Cascade Conference Championships.
 
OIT (21-6, 17-4 CCC) had four players in double-figures and built a 23-point third quarter lead, but the upstart Lions – playing their second-to-last game in program history – used a furious rally to take a fourth quarter lead, but could not complete an upset win.
 
For the first two and a half quarters – it was all Lady Owls. Jozie Ramos scored a pair of baskets in a 12-2 first quarter run to give Tech a 16-5 lead six minutes into the game. OIT closed the first half with a flurry, getting two Alexis Elquist jumpers and a buzzer-beating triple from Tatum Schmerbach, extending the Owls lead to 55-34 at the half.
 
Schmerbach gave OIT their largest lead with an inside basket at 68-45 with four minutes left in the third quarter – but eight turnovers over the next 12 minutes fueled a Lions (7-20, 5-16) run. Makayla Torkornoo hit three 3-pointers, Gracie Browning added another and a 3-point play, with Jersey Huerta scoring 10 points, including a go-ahead runner – capping the 34-9 run – giving MCJU a 79-77 lead with 3:27 to play.
 
OIT regained the lead on a 3-point play from Ramos and following 4-straight defensive stops – closed the game from the foul line. The Lions, playing with just seven players – had three players disqualified on fouls – ending the game with three players on the floor. It didn't stop Huerta, who converted consecutive 3's and Torkornoo added a third to get the club within 91-88. Elquist sealed the win with two free throws with two seconds left.
 
Schmerbach had 21 points to lead the Lady Owls, with Ramos scoring 18. Anderson scored 14 and Elquist recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds – as Tech made 51% of their field goals and had a 47-28 edge on the glass. The win was the 600th in OIT program history.
 
Huerta led all scorers with 29 points, Torkornoo had 19 and Browning scored 18 in the loss.
 
Tech closes out the regular-season tomorrow, hosting Warner Pacific at 3 p.m. Three seniors – Maddyson Tull, Kennedy Tull and Elquist will be honored in a ceremony at halftime of the men's game.
 
With tonight's win, OIT earns the home court edge through the semifinals of the CCC Championships – which begin Wednesday at 7 p.m.