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Owl women stun SOU
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| H&N photo by Todd E. Swenson Beating the best: OIT’s Tabatha Cooke (11) and Cora McVey (25) celebrate from the bench as Amanda Johnston gives OIT the lead for good against rival, and conference leader, Southern Oregon Tuesday. |
CCC shake-up: OIT women shock the 20th-ranked Raiders
By Ross L. Timbrook
H&N Sports Writer
Basketball coaches always say having depth is one of the keys to winning games.
For the Oregon Tech women, this proved to be true in their 69-65 upset win over 20th-ranked Southern Oregon Raiders Tuesday night at Danny Miles Court.
OIT (19-8, 11-6) had to play most of the second half without its starting point guard Meagan Miyasaka, who picked up her fourth foul early in the half. She fouled out midway through the second half.
Tabatha Cooke responded by playing some of her best basketball this season.
“Tabatha played awesome,” OIT senior Jenna Ball said. “I was so proud of the way she played tonight.”
As good as Cooke was, it was Amanda Ball who stepped up when the Owls needed her most. Ball was 5-for-11 from three-point range and along with every OIT player, played very well on the defensive end.
The Owls held the Raiders, the top scoring offense in the CCC, to just 11 percent shooting in the first half.
SOU was better in the second half, shooting 41 percent, with most of the damage coming on the hot hand of Chelsey Muri. Muri showcased an array of skills hitting from the outside, driving to the basket and shooting free throws. With the game tied at 44, she scored four straight points to give SOU the lead.
Winning sequence
Jenni Miiller converted a three-point play at the other end, and, after SOU could not convert, Amanda Johnston buried a three to put the Owls back on top. Southern cut the Owls led to one twice in the closing minutes, but came no closer as OIT converted its free throws down the stretch.
“This is a great win,” Miiller said. “They are the best team in the league, and we knew it was going to take everything we had. The best part of this win was that it took every player we had to get it.”
Ball said the bench was key for the Owls.
“We look at them as reinforcements and they did everything they had to do to help out,” she said. “They work just as hard as we do in practice, and it showed in the way they played.”
Megan Ross contributed 10 rebounds off the bench and Cooke had three points, all of which were from the free-throw line. Two of her three free throws expanded the Owls’ lead to 55-52. She also grabbed two huge offensive rebounds, which allowed the Owls to extend possessions and run time off the clock. The Owls also drew six offensive fouls.
Ball and Miiller each had 19 points, and Johnston had 15. In addition to the 10 boards by Ross, Johnston also had 10. Muri led SOU with 25 points.
For the Oregon Tech women, this proved to be true in their 69-65 upset win over 20th-ranked Southern Oregon Raiders Tuesday night at Danny Miles Court.
OIT (19-8, 11-6) had to play most of the second half without its starting point guard Meagan Miyasaka, who picked up her fourth foul early in the half. She fouled out midway through the second half.
Tabatha Cooke responded by playing some of her best basketball this season.
“Tabatha played awesome,” OIT senior Jenna Ball said. “I was so proud of the way she played tonight.”
As good as Cooke was, it was Amanda Ball who stepped up when the Owls needed her most. Ball was 5-for-11 from three-point range and along with every OIT player, played very well on the defensive end.
The Owls held the Raiders, the top scoring offense in the CCC, to just 11 percent shooting in the first half.
SOU was better in the second half, shooting 41 percent, with most of the damage coming on the hot hand of Chelsey Muri. Muri showcased an array of skills hitting from the outside, driving to the basket and shooting free throws. With the game tied at 44, she scored four straight points to give SOU the lead.
Winning sequence
Jenni Miiller converted a three-point play at the other end, and, after SOU could not convert, Amanda Johnston buried a three to put the Owls back on top. Southern cut the Owls led to one twice in the closing minutes, but came no closer as OIT converted its free throws down the stretch.
“This is a great win,” Miiller said. “They are the best team in the league, and we knew it was going to take everything we had. The best part of this win was that it took every player we had to get it.”
Ball said the bench was key for the Owls.
“We look at them as reinforcements and they did everything they had to do to help out,” she said. “They work just as hard as we do in practice, and it showed in the way they played.”
Megan Ross contributed 10 rebounds off the bench and Cooke had three points, all of which were from the free-throw line. Two of her three free throws expanded the Owls’ lead to 55-52. She also grabbed two huge offensive rebounds, which allowed the Owls to extend possessions and run time off the clock. The Owls also drew six offensive fouls.
Ball and Miiller each had 19 points, and Johnston had 15. In addition to the 10 boards by Ross, Johnston also had 10. Muri led SOU with 25 points.
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