BUTTE, Mont. — The Montana Tech Oredigger men’s and women’s basketball teams are marching on in the NAIA Tournament after winning their first-round games on Friday night.
The Oredigger women (26-4), a No. 5 seed in their region, won a tournament game for the first time in program history, coming back from an 8-point third quarter deficit to defeat No. 12 Nelson (22-7), 87-75, in Lewiston, Idaho.
Senior Hadley Humpherys led the way for the Orediggers with 27 points, while sophomores Brooke Badovinac added 17 and 12, respectively.
The Orediggers outscored the Lions, 40-16, in the paint and 22-9 in points off turnovers.
Tech will stay in Lewiston for a second-round matchup with No. 4 Lewis-Clark State on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. Mountain time. The winner of that matchup will advance to the final 16, which will be played in Sioux City, Iowa.
The Oredigger men (23-8), the No. 8 seed in their region, also won in comeback fashion.
Tech trailed by 9 in the first half before leading by as much as 11 in the second half and holding on for a 91-87 victory over No. 9 Oklahoma City University (21-11), in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Junior guard Brayden Koch had 20 points and 4 assists for the Orediggers, while junior Rhett Reynolds and freshman Asher Williams poured in 18 apiece.
Senior Hayden Diekhans had 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a block and a steal.
Tech sealed the game at the charity stripe, where they were 28-33 overall and 18-21 in the second half.
Tech will stay in the Sooner State for a second-round road matchup with No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan on Saturday at 5 p.m. Mountain time. The victor of that affair will move on to the final 16, which will be played in Kansas City, Missouri.
