KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech battled back from an 18-point first half deficit to take a second half lead, but College of Idaho proved to be too much, outlasting the Hustlin' Owls, 74-70, in the Cascade Conference Tournament quarterfinals, presented by U.S. Bank, at Danny Miles Court.
 
The Yotes (20-9) advance to meet Lewis-Clark State on Saturday in the semifinals, while Tech will wait until next Thursday to see if they will receive an at-large bid to the NAIA National Championships.
 
The loss for the Hustlin' Owls (19-10) spoiled a milestone evening for Jackson Cooper, who became the 40th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points with a second half lay-up.
 
The night, however, belonged to the Idaho squad, who held OIT to one made field goal over a 5-minute stretch in the second half, as freshman Tucker Tiddens converted twice on the block, part of a 9-2 run that erased a deficit and helped the Yotes take a 64-57 lead with four minutes left.
 
The Owls got within three points on a pair of occasions – but never closer – as the hosts made 1-of-11 3-point attempts after halftime.
 
Jared Sucher got Tech started early, scoring six of his game-high 20 points in the first three minutes, as the Owls built an 8-3 lead. C of I countered with a 26-6 run, getting a pair of triples from both Dougie Peoples and Connor Sheets, with a David Kludt lay-up giving the visitors their largest lead at 34-16.
 
OIT battled back, closing the half on a 17-4 run, including 8-of-8 shooting from the line, getting within 39-34 at the break. The Owls would get even at 48-48 early in the second half on a Sucher triple and regain the lead at 53-52 on a Dakota Reber 3-point play, before the Yotes clamped down on the defensive end.
 
Cooper finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, Reber had 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, with Colby Whicker scoring 10 in his first OIT start.
 
Peoples led C of I with 17 points, Utrillo Morris had 16 points and eight assists, with Tiddens scoring 14 off the bench.