Prescott, Ariz. – OUAZ men's basketball suffered its first setback of the season on Friday afternoon, falling 84-59 to the Oregon Tech Owls in the opening game of the ERAU Halloween Classic hosted by Embry-Riddle. The Spirit now sit at 2-1 on the young season.
OUAZ battled throughout the first half and held a brief three-point lead midway through the period, but Oregon Tech closed the opening 20 minutes on a 15-4 run to take a 35-32 advantage into the locker room. The Owls seized control in the second half, outscoring the Spirit 49-27 to pull away for the victory.
Trevor Thompson led OUAZ with 14 points, eight rebounds, and two assists while knocking down three three-pointers. Carter Gittens added 12 points, three rebounds, two blocks, and a steal, while Jasiel Barrio chipped in 10 points and an assist off the bench.
Despite holding Oregon Tech to 29.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc, the Spirit struggled offensively, shooting 40.4 percent from the field and just 20.0 percent from three-point range. OUAZ also committed 14 turnovers, which the Owls converted into 17 points.
Oregon Tech was paced by Gylan Payne, who scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Owen Nathan added 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while Caleb Bowden contributed 11 points.
The Spirit will look to bounce back on Saturday, Oct. 31, when they face Stanton in their final game of the ERAU Halloween Classic. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Prescott, Arizona.
