12/4 - CONCORDIA 69, GEORGE FOX 64: Bruins Battle Back but Cavaliers Hold On for Tournament Title
PORTLAND, Ore. - After battling back from a 10-point second-half deficit, the George Fox University Bruins could not sustain their momentum and eventually fell to the Concordia University-Portland Cavaliers 69-64 in the title game of the RBC Mortgage/Windermere Real Estate Holiday Tournament Saturday night here at Concordia's Cavalier Dome.
The Bruins scored the first four points of the game on a pair of baskets by Mark Gayman and built up an 8-1 lead on a Ben Melvin jumper before the Cavaliers rallied. With Bob Erlandson hitting a basket and a pair of three-pointers, the home team went on a 14-6 run to take its first lead at 15-14 with 12:25 to play. The Cavs never trailed again in the half, and went inside to 6-8, 265-lb Bobby Lester for 10 first-half points to build a 32-25 halftime lead.
Lester scored twice in the lane early in the second half to give the Cavs their largest lead of the game at 39-29 with 18:10 to play, but the Bruins fought back. With Melvin scoring 7 points and Gayman 6, the Bruins went on a 17-6 run over the next six minutes and went ahead 46-45 on a free throw by Melvin with 12:19 to go.
Gayman scored inside to give the Bruins their last lead, however, 50-49 with 10:29 left. Alex Hartman and Michael Lay scored 4 points apiece in a 10-0 run that gave the Cavs a 59-50 lead with 7:42 remaining. The Bruins twice cut the Cavs' lead to three, the last at 67-64 with 1:25 left on a three-pointer by Melvin, and had a shot at a tying three with 14 seconds left, but Aaron Schmick's shot from the left wing bounced off the rim. The Cavs hit two free throws in the final 11 seconds for the final margin.
Gayman led all scorers with 21 points, while Schmick added 12 and Melvin 11. Gayman also had 9 rebounds and 5 assists. The Bruins recovered from a poor first half of shooting (.344 on 11-32) to hit .567 (17-30) in the second half, but hit only 6-12 from the line while the Cavs were canning 17-27.
Lester paced the Cavaliers with 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds as Concordia held a 40-37 edge on the boards. Erlandson scored 12 and Hartman 11, while Lay passed out 5 assists. The Cavaliers shot .404 (23-57) from the field.
In the tournament's consolation game, Multnomah Bible College upset Northwest Christian College 77-70.
Schmick was named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Matt Simonson of Northwest Christian, David Carpenter of Multnomah, Lester, and tourney MVP Erlandson.
George Fox had its three-game winning streak snapped in falling to 3-3, while Concordia climbed over .500 at 5-4. The Bruins and Cavaliers go at each other again in their next game, George Fox hosting Concordia Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Bruins' final game before the holiday break.