News

Oregon Tech Second Half Rally Falls Short

01.28.2011

Morgan Hofman drives the lane for two of her game-high 25 points. (photo by Kelly Caleb)

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Northwest Christian University withstood a 21-0 Oregon Tech run in the second half to secure a 90-78 win in Cascade Conference play tonight at Danny Miles Court.

Oregon Tech drops to 10-14 overall and 2-10 in the CCC. NCU helped out their postseason picture moving to 5-7 in the conference standings, while improving to 9-13 overall.

Morgan Hofman led all scorers with 25 points, including 10 from the charity stripe. Karissa Dixon added 12 with Brittany Cherry chipping in 11 in the loss. Aundrea Albright and Crissy Watts finished the night with nine points each.

Four NCU players finished in double figures, led by 16 points from Aly Bruns. Sheena Alexander and Hope Williams added 14 each, while Lindsey Shearer followed with 13 in the win.

After Tech tied the game on an Aundrea Albright and Karissa Dixon 3-pointer, NCU quickly regained the lead on their own back-to-back buckets, taking a 12-8 lead early in the opening period.

A 7-0 Owl run put the home team up 15-12, but it was all NCU for the rest of the half.

NCU jumped out to a 27-18 advantage before OIT closed the gap to 30-24 with six minutes on the clock. The Beacons opened up the scoring to lead 42-24 before a pair of Morgan Hofman free-throws stopped the bleeding. NCU continued to widen the lead and took a 49-28 score to the locker room.

NCU moved out to a 59-31 advantage minutes into the second stanza, but Oregon Tech came storming back, and after a 21-0 run trailed just 59-52.

NCU’s Aly Burns hit a triple on the next NCU possession that put the visitors ahead by double digits, 62-52, and stopped the Tech momentum.

At the six minute mark OIT trailed by 14, but a Morgan Hofman basket and free throw, followed by three-straight from Brittany Cherry pulled the home team within striking distance at 69-64, but that was as close as the Owls would get.

NCU was able to hit a couple clutch baskets and free throws down the stretch to win 90-78.