SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Despite a furious second-half comeback, the 21st-ranked Montana Tech men's basketball team bowed out in the first round of the NAIA national tournament, dropping an 84-81 decision to Southern Oregon at the MacArthur Center on Friday.
Hayden Diekhans led four Orediggers in double figures with 20 points, and the junior tied for the team high with five rebounds. Karson Peffer (16 points), Ifeanyi Okeke (11) and Keeley Bake (10) all scored in double figures for Tech. Bake's 10 points gave him exactly 1,000 for his Montana Tech; he's the fourth Oredigger this season to reach that milestone, joining Diekhans, Okeke and Michael Ure.
Southern Oregon got off to a fast start, leading 11-5 after nearly five minutes elapsed in the game. The Raiders extended the lead to 16 points, leading 49-33 at halftime. SOU enjoyed its start to the second half, as well, extending the lead to 22 before Montana Tech began to close the gap.
Tech began the comeback effort with a 20-4 run early in the second half that got the Orediggers back in the game. The Frontier Conference champions eventually cut the deficit to a single point, trailing 71-70 after a pair of Diekhans free throws, but that was as close as they would get.
Southern Oregon did not miss a field goal in the final three minutes of the game on its way to seal the win.
