12/28 - POINT LOMA 72, GEORGE FOX 68: Host Crusaders Nip Bruins in 2nd Round of Surf 'n' Slam
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - It was a case of too many turnovers and too few free throws for the George Fox University Bruins, who battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit before falling 72-68 to the Point Loma Nazarene University Crusaders in the second round of the Surf 'n' Slam Women's Basketball Tournament Saturday evening (Dec. 28) here at Point Loma.
As a team, the Bruins sizzled from the floor, hitting 30-50 (.600) to only 29-63 (.460) for the tournament hosts, but George Fox was 0-3 from the line while Point Loma was 6-7, and the Bruins committed 24 turnovers to 15 for the Crusaders. The Bruins trailed 41-30 at the break despite shooting .684 (13-19) in the first half, but Point Loma had 39 shots to only 19 for George Fox in the half.
Kellie Thomas scored 19 points to lead the Bruins, hitting 8-10 from the field and 3-3 from 3-point range. Kim Leith added 17 points and a team-high 7 rebounds. George Fox won the battle of the boards 33-24.
The Crusaders had five in double figures, with Corey Zimbleman scoring 19, Jessica Mercado 14, Ciara Carl 11, and Erin Kellar and Charity Williams 10 each. Mercado, Kellar, and Williams had 5 rebounds apiece, and Carl had 7 assists.
In other tournament games Saturday, Montclair State University defeated Coe College 78-52, Rowan University downed St. Joseph's College of New York 78-65, and Division III 6th-ranked Baldwin-Wallace College whipped the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 72-44.
All eight teams in the tournament will take Sunday off before concluding play on Monday. In the 7th-place game at 10:00 a.m., it will be Coe (1-6) vs. St. Joseph's (4-5). The 5th-place game will have Montclair State (6-3) vs. Rowan (4-5) at 12:15 p.m. The battle for 3rd will be between Wisconsin-Whitewater (5-3) and George Fox (5-3) at 2:30 p.m., while Baldwin-Wallace (9-1) and Point Loma Nazarene (9-3) will square off for 1st at 4:45 p.m.