Men's Basketball Release
1/21 - WILLAMETTE 86, GEORGE FOX 77: Hot Hand from Everywhere Lifts League-Leading Bearcats by Bruins
SALEM, Ore. - Hitting 75% from three-point range, including several from NBA distance, and 59% overall, the Willamette University Bearcats held onto a share of first place in the Northwest Conference men's basketball standings with an 86-77 win over the George Fox University Bruins Saturday night here at Cone Fieldhouse.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair through the first 13 minutes, with five ties and five lead changes. C.J. Stuvland's three-pointer with 6:16 left in the half gave the Bearcats the lead for good, 25-23, and they took a 37-30 advantage into intermission. Stuvland connected on 4-5 from beyond the arc for 12 points in the half, and the Bearcats as a team hit 5-7 from downtown. Overall, the Bearcats shot 59.1% from the field (13-22).
Willamette came out even hotter in the second half, hitting their first four from long range. The Bruins shot well themselves, but on five different occasions, the Bearcats answered a George Fox basket with a three in return. Stuvland canned another long three with 16:13 to play for a 47-37 lead, and the Bearcats stayed in front by double figures from that moment on until Chris Parker's basket as the final horn sounded brought the margin down to nine.
The Bearcats hit 59.3% in the second half (16-27) and 77.8% on threes (7-9), finishing with marks of 59.2% overall (29-59) and 75.0% (12-16) on threes. The Bruins had a good shooting night, hitting 50.0% (32-64), but made only 5 threes in 20 attempts (25.0%).
Aaron Schmick led the Bruins with 23 points, Brent Satern scored a career-high 17 by hitting 6-8 from the field with a three and 4-4 from the line, and Parker chipped in with 15. Four players - Schmick, Scott Szalay, Phil Heu-Weller, and Brady Strutz - had 5 rebounds apiece, and Ben Melvin passed out 3 assists.
Stuvland finished with a game-high 24 points for Willamette, John Olinger had 17, Drew Miller 15, and David Fife 10. Jacob Baran's 7 rebounds led the Bearcats to a 31-25 edge on the boards, and Miller had a game-high 5 assists.
George Fox fell to 11-6 overall and 4-4 in the conference and remained stuck on 999 wins in their 102-season history. Willamette improved to 11-5 and 7-1 in the league, tied with the University of Puget Sound, whom they defeated the night before. UPS stayed in a tie by winning 79-75 at Linfield College.
The Bruins next head to eastern Washington, playing at Whitworth College Friday, while the Bearcats remain home to take on Lewis & Clark College Tuesday. Both NWC games tip off at 8 p.m., following women's games at 6 p.m.