2/1 - WHITWORTH 73, GEORGE FOX 61: Bruins Drop Homecoming Tilt as Pirates Move into First in NWC
NEWBERG, Ore. - Scoring the game's final 11 points all on free throws, the 17th-ranked Whitworth College Pirates pulled away from upset-minded George Fox University in the last four-and-a-half minutes to defeat the Bruins on Homecoming night at George Fox 73-61 in Northwest Conference men's basketball Saturday night (Feb. 1) here at the Wheeler Sports Center.
The Bruins came out of the blocks blazing, racing out to a 9-0 lead on two free throws and a jumper by Bryan Wadlow and a 3-pointer and layup by Aaron Schmick. Bryan Depew's layup at the 17:12 mark finally got Whitworth on the boards, and the Pirates eventually took their first lead of the game, 14-13, at 11:37 on a free throw by Mike Larkin. Chase William's trey with 7:26 to go broke a 17-17 tie and gave the Pirates a lead they would not relinquish. Williams hit another three with one second left for a 36-29 Whitworth halftime lead.
The Pirates took their biggest lead of the night on a dunk by Paul Hafford with 14:40 left, 50-39, before the Bruins climbed back into it. A 22-12 run over the next 10 minutes brought the Bruins within one at 62-61 on two free throws by Schmick with 4:41 remaining. The Bruins went scoreless the rest of the way, however, while the Pirates canned 11-12 from the charity stripe to preserve the hard-fought win.
Mark Gayman posted his 4th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds for George Fox, while Wadlow finished with 12 points, Schmick 11, and Kenny Macy 10.
Williams paced the Pirates with 26 points, including an 8-8 game from the line, Depew scored 21, and Kyle Jensen chipped in with 11. Jensen also had 7 rebounds in leading the Pirates to a 35-27 margin on the boards.
George Fox fell to 6-12 overall and 1-9 in the conference, while Whitworth moved a half-game ahead of Willamette University for 1st place in the conference standings at 8-2 in the NWC, 17-2 overall.
The Bruins host Lewis & Clark College Friday (Feb. 7) at 8:00 p.m., while the Pirates also play Friday at 8:00 p.m., hosting Pacific Lutheran University.