KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – A 12-2 run inside final four minutes wasn't enough, as Mitchell Fink canned two free throws with one second remaining as Oregon Tech held off the College of Idaho, 75-72, to claim the Cascade Conference regular-season title at Danny Miles Court.
The Owls (24-6, 15-3 CCC), with their regular-season title, earn one of the CCC's two automatic bids to the NAIA Division II National Tournament. With the loss, C of I claims the No. 2 seed in the CCC Tournament and will play host to Warner Pacific on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Tech erased a 39-30 second half lead by the Coyotes (25-5, 14-4) with a 25-7 run over a 10 minute stretch – as Seth Erickson canned three 3-pointers and Fink scored seven points in the rally.
The lead grew to 71-60 on a Fink jumper with 3:49 left – but the Yotes made one last push.
Talon Pinckney had a pair of lay-ups and a 3-pointer and
Keun Palu-Thompson converted a floater, pulling C of I within 71-69 with 38 seconds left. Fink answered, knocking down a midrange jumper – only to be answered by a
Gibson Berryhill triple with three seconds left to cut the margin to 73-72. However, Fink made two free throws and OIT did not allow the Yotes to get a potential game-tying shot off at the buzzer.
OIT started quickly, as an Erickson basket eight minutes into the game gave the hosts a 21-12 lead. The Yotes caught fire, using a 22-6 run to take their first lead – getting 3's from
Nate Bruneel,
Justin Saunders and
Derek Wadsworth in the flurry.
Pinckney scored 15 of his team-high 19 points in the second half, with Bruneel adding 13. Fink had 21 of his 23 points after the break, with Erickson scoring 16.
