via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
FULLERTON, Calif. – Oregon Tech turned to their junior captain Jackson Cooper in a big way, recording the most prolific scoring night in six seasons, as the Hustlin’ Owls completed a season sweep of The Master’s with an 84-79 victory at the Royal Thanksgiving Classic inside Darling Pavilion.
Cooper scored a career-high 38 points – the most since current assistant Mitch Fink scored 40 at Northwest during the 2019-20 season – as the Hustlin’ Owls (5-2) rallied from a 9-point first-half deficit to claim the regional win.
Tech played from behind nearly the entire first half, as the Mustangs (4-4) used an 11-2 run, capped by a long Quincy Phillips 3-pointer, to take a 22-15 lead – a margin that grew to 36-27 with four minutes left in the half.
The Owls answered after the break, as a Jared Sucher triple cut the margin to 44-42 and a Cooper inside basket pulled OIT even at 46-46. Grant Tull converted on the block to give Tech the lead for good at 52-51 – part of a 7-0 run.
TMU pulled within a point three times and were within 69-67 when Cooper beat the shot clock with a wild baseline one-handed 18-foot jumper. Gylan Payne stretched the margin to 79-71 with a 3-pointer with two minutes left, as the Owls closed out the win at the foul line.
Cooper finished 13-of-18 from the field and made 12-of-13 free throws – adding nine rebounds. Dakota Reber scored 15 points, Sucher scored 14 and Payne added eight. Tech made 54% of their second half field goals and ended the night 27-of-36 from the stripe.
Phillips led TMU with 22 points, but the Owls limited the Mustangs to 4-of-18 shooting from 3-point range.
OIT plays for the tournament title tomorrow at 1 p.m., meeting host Hope International – live on 92.5 KLAD.
