Press Release
1/20 - LEWIS & CLARK 74, GEORGE FOX 61: Pioneers Overtake Bruins with Big 2nd-Half Run
PORTLAND, Ore. - Down by four points with just under 10 minutes to play, the Lewis & Clark College Pioneers exploded for a 22-4 run over a seven-minute span to seize control and went on to defeat the George Fox University Bruins 74-61 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game Saturday night here at the Pamplin Sports Center.
There were 12 lead changes in a closely-contested first half, with George Fox's biggest lead at two points and Lewis & Clark twice taking five-point leads. Jeff Christensen hit a pair of free throws with 34 seconds left for a 29-24 Pioneer lead, but Joe Ahn's reverse layup with six seconds left cut that margin to 29-26 at the half. Both teams struggled from the field, the Bruins sinking only .323 (10-31) and the Pios only .296 (8-27). Mark Robinowitz had 11 for the Pios with a pair of three-pointers, while Chris Parker kept the Bruins in the game with eight first-half points.
The Pioneers twice took eight-point leads early in the second half, going up 39-31 on a rebound basket by Thomas Tillery with 16:10 left, before the Bruins rallied. With Parker scoring nine points in a seven-minute span, the Bruins went on an 18-6 run to take a 49-45 lead with 9:41 to play. The Pioneers then exploded for a 13-0 run over the next three minutes, with six points by Robinowitz and five by Joey Toboni, to go up 58-49 with 6:18 left. Baskets by Parker and Brent Satern pulled the Bruins within 58-53, but Gene Rivera hit an uncontested layup and a three from the top of the key to give Lewis & Clark a 10-point lead of 63-53 with 2:26 left. The Pios cemented the win with three free throws and four fast-break layups in the final two minutes as the Bruins pressed in an effort to get back in the game.
Parker finished with 20 points and Satern with 18 as the only Bruins in double figures. Brady Strutz just missed a double-double with nine points and a game and career-high 14 rebounds, and also had six assists. The Bruins struggled from the field, shooting only .379 (22-58) overall and .222 (4-18) from three-point range, but held a 40-30 edge on the boards
Robinowitz led all scorers with 21 points for the Pios, while David Berggren had 13 and Toboni 11. Rivera had seven rebounds and three blocked shots, and Nick Thierry passed out six assists. The Pios raised their final shooting mark to .480 (24-50) by hitting a blistering .696 (16-23) in the second half, and connected on .407 (11-27) from three-point range.
George Fox (8-8, NWC 4-4) begins the second half of the conference season Tuesday with a visit to Yamhill County rival Linfield College for an 8 p.m. game. Lewis & Clark (10-6, NWC 5-3) hosts Whitman College Friday, also at 8 p.m. Both games will follow women's NWC games at 6 p.m.