Press Release
1/12 - GEORGE FOX 72, WILLAMETTE 52: Bruins Snap 11-Game Skid Against Bearcats
NEWBERG, Ore. - Led by point guard Brent Satern's 18 points and six assists, the George Fox University Bruins snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Willamette University Bearcats with a 72-52 win in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game Friday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
Layups by Phil Heu-Weller and Satern gave the Bruins an early 4-0 lead and the home team never trailed again. A three-pointer by Satern gave George Fox its first double-digit lead at 17-6 with 12:32 left in the period, and the Bruins led by as much as 15 when Chris Parker sank a free throw to make it 33-18 with 2:42 left. It was 33-20 at the half after the Bruins shot .500 (11-22) in the period to .308 (8-26) for the Bearcats.
Willamette's Dan Nugent scored the first two baskets of the second half to get the Bearcats within nine at 33-24, but that was as close as the visitors would come. The Bruins responded with a three by Satern and back-to-back baskets by Parker for a 40-24 lead, and eventually built a 23-point lead at 72-49 on a bucket by Taylor Martin with 34 seconds left.
Satern was joined in the George Fox scoring column by Parker with 13 points and Heu-Weller with 11. Martin led all rebounders with eight as the Bruins controlled the glass 36-27. The Bruins shot .460 (23-50) for the game, and sizzled from outside the three-point arc at .600 (9-15). The Bruins also held a 10-free throw margin, hitting 17-22 to 7-13 for the Bearcats.
Willamette was led by Michael Smith with 13 points and Rob Andrus with 11. Ian Mansfield and Tain Cantrell grabbed six rebounds apiece, and Smith passed out four assists. The Bearcats hit .400 (20-50) from the field but only .294 (5-17) from three-point range.
George Fox (7-6, NWC 3-2), which last beat the Bearcats 106-104 in double overtime on Jan. 16, 2001, visits Pacific University and Willamette (5-9, NWC 1-4) hosts Linfield College Saturday in conference action at 8 p.m., following women's contests at 6 p.m.