KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Lewis-Clark State Men’s Basketball closed out its regular-season road schedule on Saturday with an 81-67 loss to Oregon Tech.
LC State holds a record of 12-14 overall and 9-11 in Cascade Conference play heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
“OIT was the aggressor tonight,” Head Coach Austin Johnson said. “We struggled to keep them out of the paint. Hoping we can have a good week of practice to prep for a huge weekend at home.”
John Lustig scored the first four points for the Warriors, and Anthony Peoples Jr. scored the next four to keep the contest tied 8-8 at 13:04 in the first half. Oreon Courtney, Silas Bennion and Brennen Newsom matched OIT basket-for-basket to keep LC State within one, 16-15, by 9:25, but the Owls surged to pull ahead 21-15 two minutes later.
The Warriors were held scoreless for more than three minutes until a 3 by Davian Brown cut the deficit to 22-18 with 6:04 to play in the half. Peoples Jr. made it a two-point game 30 seconds later, and baskets by Lustig, Sam Stockton and Bennion kept the score with five before Oregon Tech rallied to take a 35-27 advantage into the break.
Grayson Hunt opened the scoring for LC in the second half, but OIT carried its momentum over to pull ahead 45-31 by 15:41. Back-to-back baskets by Peoples Jr. and free throws by Lustig kept the game within reach for the Warriors, but foul shots by the Owls had the difference at 10, 55-45, at 11:22.
Oregon Tech maintained is double-digit lead throughout the remainder of the game.
Lustig led the Warriors with 14 points and six rebounds. Bennion and Peoples Jr. each tallied 10 points.
