1/24 -WILLAMETTE 76, GEORGE FOX 60: Bruins' Free Throw Record Not Enough to Overcome Bearcats
SALEM, Ore. - Despite a record-setting 12-12 night at the free throw line and a second-half lead that threw a scare into the Willamette University Bearcats, the George Fox University Bruins could not hang on and dropped a 76-60 decision to the Bearcats in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game Friday night (Jan. 24) here at Cone Fieldhouse.
The Bruins' 12-12 game from the free throw line broke the previous best record of 11-11 vs. Western Baptist on Dec. 17, 1994. Zach Hollin was 6-6, Mark Gayman 4-4, and Aaron Schmick 2-2 to contribute to the new George Fox record. The Bruins hurt themselves in other ways, however, such as making 21 turnovers and only shooting 4-17 from three-point range.
Willamette led throughout most of the first half, sparked by 13 first-half points from Marques Johnson. The Bearcats built a 12-point lead at 31-19 with 4:19 to play on a turnaround in the lane by Brennan Garrelts, but the Bruins went on a 11-0 run to end the half down only 31-30. The comeback was keyed by Gayman, who scored 12 of his 15 first-half points over the final 10 minutes.
Baskets by Gayman, Trevor Person, and Schmick gave the Bruins a 36-34 lead two minutes into the second half, but the Bearcats asserted themselves from that point on, going on a 25-13 run that gave them a 10-point lead at 59-49 with seven minutes left. The margin was double figures from then on.
Gayman finished with a game-high 23 points for the Bruins, while Hollin added 14 and Schmick 10. Gayman had 8 rebounds as the Bruins held their own on the boards, tying the taller Bearcats 32-32.
For the Bearcats, Johnson led the way with 20, Miles Sandgathe added 18, and Ryan Hepp and Harold Sublett had 13 each. Sublett posted a double-double with a game-high 13 rebounds.
The Bruins fell to 6-10 overall and 1-7 in the conference, while the Bearcats kept pace with league-leading Whitworth in improving to 12-3 overall and 6-1 in the league.
George Fox is off until next Friday (Jan. 31), hosting Whitman College at 8:00 p.m. as Homecoming weekend gets under way. Willamette hosts Pacific Lutheran University Saturday (Jan. 25) at 8:00 p.m.