March 17, 2008

Point Lookout, Mo. - There will be a new champion this year as #11 Oregon Tech defeated second-seed and defending champion MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), 74-71, in the semifinals. The Hustlin' Owls will play top-seed Bellevue in the championship game on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. The 17th-annual event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks (Mo.). 

The defending champions started strong, taking a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes. Oregon Tech came storming back to tie the game at 14. Six straight points by Pioneer guard Adam Hepker put MNU back up, 22-16, with eight minutes left. Oregon Tech took their first lead of the night (25-24) on a Ryan Fiegi jumper and built the lead up to 34-28 just before the half. Fiegi scored a total of nine points during the run. The teams went in for halftime with Oregon Tech leading 40-34.

In the second half, the Hustlin' Owls led by as much as eight (59-51) before back-to-back MidAmerica Nazarene baskets cut the lead to four. Oregon Tech built the lead back up to eight before six straight points by Danny Hawkins and a pair of free throws by Hepker cut the Oregon Tech lead down to two (66-64).  The game remained close the rest of the way and after a Hustlin' Owls turnover, Hawkins was fouled and made 1-of-2 free throws to cut the game to one with 7.5 seconds left. Oregon Tech guard Mike Nieraeth scored a lay-up on the ensuing possession to go up 74-71 and Hepker's last second three to tie the game bounced off the back of the rim to send the Hustlin' Owls to the championship game.

Oregon Tech was led by Ryan Fiegi who scored 30 points despite being in foul trouble in the second half. Jguwon Hogges was the only other Hustlin' Owl player in double figures with 10. Josh Wetzler pulled down 14 rebounds which gives him 46 for the tournament. Oregon Tech's bench outscored MidAmerica Nazarene's bench 20-8.

MidAmerica Nazarene was led by Danny Hawkins who scored 31 points on 12-of-21 from the floor. The junior leads the tournament with 103 points in the four games. Adam Hepker closed his career with 17 points and four assists, one assist shy of the tournament record. Brenton Bell added 13 points. The Pioneers finish the season with a 31-5 record.
 
Oregon Tech moves on to the championship game where they will play Bellevue (Neb.), the top seed, at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night. It will be a rematch of the 2004 championship game in which Oregon Tech defeated the Bruins, 81-72. The 32-team, single-elimination tournament concludes on Tuesday, March 18.