Press Release
1/29 - GEORGE FOX 73, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 68: Bruin Free Throws Extinguish Beacons
EUGENE, Ore. - Sinking over 90 percent of their free throws for the game and 10-10 in the final 3:19, the George Fox University Bruins held off the Northwest Christian College Beacons 73-68 in their final non-conference men's basketball game of the season Monday night here at the Morse Events Center.
The first half featured spurts by both teams. The Bruins broke away from a 6-6 tie with a 10-0 run, capped by a pair of three-pointers by Evan Atwater, to take a 16-6 lead with 13:36 left. It was still 21-12 Bruins when the Beacons exploded for a 17-3 stretch, broken only by another three by Atwater, taking a 29-24 lead on a Carden Gambee fadeaway along the baseline with 5:35 left. Down 31-28, the Bruins used a 7-0 run to go back in front 35-31 when Mark Metzler drained a three from the right corner with 35 seconds to go, but a layup by Josh Jarrett with four seconds on the clock made it 35-33 George Fox at the half.
There were five lead changes in the first five possessions of the second half before the Beacons took a five-point lead 44-39 on a layup by Jarrett. The Bruins regained the lead with an 8-0 run, going up 47-44 on a fast-break bucket by Matt Noble, and maintained a slim advantage most of the rest of the way. The Beacons took the lead one final time at 58-57 on a Jarrett jumper with 5:11 left, but the Bruins went ahead for good 59-58 on a Chris Parker layin with five minutes left. Over the final 3:19, Parker hit six free throws, Brent Satern two, and Atwater two without a miss, enabling the Bruins to hang on.
Parker led all scorers with 21 points, including 13-15 from the line, Metzler had 19 on 8-11 shooting with a trio of threes, Atwater had 11 off the bench, and Satern had 10 to go with 8 assists and 6 steals. Parker led the Bruins on the boards with 7. While shooting .462 (24-52) from the field, the Bruins sizzled from the line with a .905 mark (19-21).
Jarrett had 16 points and Jordan Humphrey had 14 to pace the Beacons, while Andrew Williams had a game-high 10 rebounds as the Beacons held a slim 32-31 edge on the boards. Williams and Humphreys had 4 assists each. The Beacons connected for a .456 shooting percentage (26-57) and hit .733 (11-15) from the line.
George Fox (11-8) returns to Northwest Conference play this weekend, starting with a Friday night game at Whitman College. Tipoff is 8 p.m. in Walla Walla, Wash., following the NWC women's contest at 6 p.m. Northwest Christian (10-11) visits Walla Walla College Saturday, also at 8 p.m.