LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon men’s basketball faced a tough loss to #24 Oregon Tech on Saturday night, falling 82-71. A chippy contest, three technicals, and 48 total fouls were handed out, with the two teams shooting a combined 54 free throws.
Eastern Oregon forced 17 turnovers in the game, several of which came in the second half when Eastern Oregon cut their 17-point deficit to just four. However, a costly and-one technical foul swing led to six points on the possession, extending the Owls’ lead yet again.
The contest showcased an intense battle in the paint, with Oregon Tech narrowly outscoring Eastern Oregon 32-30 in points scored close to the basket. The Hustlin’ Owls’ bench presence also stepped up, contributing 22 points compared to the Mounties’ 10. OIT also capitalized on fast-break opportunities, securing 11 points in transition.
Despite a slow start, shooting 22.6% in the first half, Eastern Oregon showed resilience in the second half with a 43.8% field goal percentage. Jaden Hansen and Jonny Hillman both contributed 17 points for EOU. Garrett Hawkes also got things going late, finishing the night with 15 points, despite going just 2-10 from three-point distance.
Keegan Shivers led the charge for Oregon Tech with an impressive performance, contributing 26 points, 11 rebounds, and connecting on six three point attempts. Kody Bauman added 14 points and 5 rebounds, while Erik Fraser recorded 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal.
The Mounties now stand at 8-12 overall and 7-7 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Eastern Oregon will continue conference play in College Place to take on Walla Walla next Friday, set to tip-off at 2 p.m.