2/22 - GEORGE FOX 88, PACIFIC 69: Bruins Assured of Best NWC Record Ever with Win over Boxers
NEWBERG, Ore. - Assuring themselves of their best Northwest Conference record in 10 years as a member of the league, the George Fox University Bruins used 21-9 run over the last eight minutes of the first half to break a 25-25 tie and go on to an 88-69 victory over the Pacific University Boxers in men's basketball Tuesday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
With Branden Kawazoe hitting four 3-pointers and Brad Krichevsky adding 11 points, the visiting Boxers held the lead for most of the game's first 14 minutes. Scott Szalay scored 10 of his 15 first-half points in that span to keep the Bruins in the game. Nate Mansfield's three with 6:08 left broke a 25-25 tie, and the Bruins then used treys by Mark Gayman, Philip Heu-Weller, and a pair by Ben Melvin to build a 46-34 halftime lead. The Bruins hit .630 (17-27) from the field, including 7-11 on threes, and 5-5 free throws in the half.
George Fox maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the game, and took its biggest lead of 22 points with 3:06 to play, 83-61, on a pair of Heu-Weller free throws. Gayman had 12 second-half points and Heu-Weller 11 to keep the Bruins comfortably in front.
Szalay paced the Bruins with his 3rd double-double of the season and 8th of his career, scoring 20 on 8-11 shooting with 11 rebounds. Heu-Weller added 20 points and Gayman 19. The Bruins finished with a .516 shooting percentage (33-64), hit 10-17 from three-point land, and were 12-14 (.857) from the line. The Bruins sported a huge advantage on the boards, 42-23, including 14 offensive rebounds, 6 by Szalay. Aaron Schmick passed out 5 assists, and Ben Melvin made 3 steals.
Krichevsky ended with 18 for the Boxers, Kawazoe had 14, and Miles Strampe collared 8 rebounds. The Boxers had a fine night at the free throw line, sinking 14-15 for a .933 percentage.
George Fox improved to 17-7 overall and 12-3 in the conference, while Pacific dropped to 4-19 overall and 3-11 in the league. The Bruins had already sewed up 2nd place in the conference, and with only one game left, they will better the .722 percentage of the 1997-98 team which went 13-5 in league play.
The Bruins end their season with Lewis & Clark College, while the Boxers, with two games left, go to Linfield College Friday. Both games are at 8:00 p.m. following women's games at 6:00 p.m.