KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Olivia Sprague became the 13th Oregon Tech player to eclipse the 1,000-point mark in a career with a fourth quarter jumper, helping the Lady Owls extend a season-opening win streak to 13, topping Multnomah, 87-71, at Danny Miles Court.
Sprague finished the night with 13 points and a career-best 18 rebounds – the most by an OIT (13-0, 7-0 CCC) player in seven years – as the Lady Owls withstood a 90-minute delay at the outset to defeat a short-handed Lions club.
“It is an amazing achievement to score 1,000 points, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaches,” Sprague said.
The Lions (4-10, 1-7) did not arrive to the Basin until 3:40 p.m. (for the scheduled 3 p.m. tip) due to travel issues following a morning snowstorm. Following the delay, the two teams combined for 50 fouls and 62 free throw attempts – with OIT setting a school record with 70 rebounds (including 37 offensive boards turned into 28 points).
Tech led 27-23 after the first quarter, but the visitors scored 5-straight points to open the next frame, taking a lead on a Savannah Huerta lay-up. The Owls struck back, getting baskets from Kennedy Tull, Tatum Schmerbach and Sprague, with back-to-back Kayley Elliott lay-ups capping the 11-2 run.
Multnomah cut the margin to 48-47 in the third quarter, only to see Jozie Ramos take over – scoring 8-straight points in a 13-3 run that put the game way.
The excitement turned to Sprague, who canned a 24-foot 3-pointer to get to 998 points, following with a step-back 18-footer to push the lead to 79-65 and hit the milestone mark.
The 18 rebounds from Sprague ranks No. 10 on the OIT single-game record list and were the most by a Lady Owl since Amanda Constant had 18 boards in 2017.
Gabbie Gascon scored 21 points to lead Tech, including 10 first quarter points, adding four assists and four steals. Tull finished with 14 points and Ramos added 10 points and nine rebounds. Both Elliott and Elli Kent each scored nine off the bench.
Huerta led all scorers with 29 points, as the Lions suited just seven players and finished the contest with four players on the court. OIT limited Multnomah to 30-percent shooting, including 6-of-30 from 3-point range.
The first-place Lady Owls hit the road next week, traveling to Walla Walla on Friday and to Lewis-Clark State on Saturday for a potential first-place showdown with the nationally-ranked Warriors.