12/13 - NORTHWEST 95, GEORGE FOX 94: Eagles Nip Bruins in Double OT on Late Three (Again!)
KIRKLAND, Wash. - For the second time this season, a three-point field goal in the waning seconds, this one in the second overtime, enabled the Northwest College Eagles to pull out a 95-94 heart-stopper over the George Fox University Bruins in a non-conference men's basketball game Saturday night here at the Northwest Pavilion.
In the Bruins' season opener on Nov. 21, it was a three-pointer by Patrick Hillis with 2.5 seconds that sank the Bruins 89-88. This time, it was Andrew Gard who connected with 6 seconds left, overcoming a three-pointer by the Bruins' Aaron Schmick that had given the visitors at 94-92 lead with 16 seconds to play.
Northwest raced out to a 10-0 lead to start the game and stretched it to 16 at 26-10 before settling for a 36-25 lead at the break. The Bruins trailed by 17 at 50-33 with 13:30 to play when they began their comeback, closing within one at 70-69 on a goal by Scott Szalay with 12 seconds left. Joel Wildeboer hit a pair of free throws with 6 seconds left for a 72-69 Northwest lead, but Schmick connected on a three-pointer to send the game into overtime as the clock expired.
Each team scored 10 points in the first overtime, sending it to a second one knotted at 82-82. In the second overtime, unanswered baskets by Ben Melvin and Mark Gayman and Schmick's three in the final two minutes managed to rally the Bruins from a 92-87 deficit to a 94-92 lead, setting up Gard's late heroics.
Schmick finished with 29 points, a new career high, that included 7 3's, while Gayman added 20. Melvin and Bryan Wadlow had 16 apiece, Melvin establishing a new career high. Wadlow with 9 rebounds and Gayman with 8 enabled the Bruins to play almost evenly on the boards, trailing only 39-38. Melvin had 9 assists.
Northwest had 6 players in double figures, led by Wildeboer with 18. He was followed by Gard with 16, Grant Enloe and Aaron Sawyer with 15 each, Tyson Dodd with 13, and Hillis with 10. Dodd led the Eagles with 8 rebounds, while Hillis and Gard had 8 assists apiece.
The Bruins dipped to 2-3 with the setback, while the Eagles evened their season record at 6-6.
George Fox next goes against Ramapo College in the opening round of the Cactus Jam Tournament at Phoenix College in Phoenix, Ariz., on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 12:15 p.m. The Bruins will also play the following Monday and Tuesday. Northwest takes on Cascade Collegiate Conference foe Albertson College Friday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Caldwell, Idaho.