1/17 -PUGET SOUND 70, GEORGE FOX 64 (OT): Bruins Rally From 19 Down but Lose to Loggers in OT
NEWBERG, Ore. - Northwest Conference women's basketball scoring leader Kilty Keaton was held to only six points by George Fox University Friday night (Jan. 17) here at the Wheeler Sports Center, but three of those came on the biggest shot of the night, a three-pointer with 16.5 seconds left in overtime that iced a 70-64 win for the University of Puget Sound Loggers over the homestanding Bruins.
The Bruins had rallied from a horrendous first half of shooting and a 39-20 deficit to send the game into overtime. The Bruins missed their first six shots of the game before Kellie Thomas hit a three-pointer to cut an early Puget Sound lead to 4-3, but they missed their next seven in a row as the Loggers built up a 13-3 lead. Emily Ruggles came off the Bruin bench to hit a pair of goals to cut the gap to 13-7 before the Loggers raced away, taking a 41-24 lead into the break. George Fox shot only .265 (9-34) in the half to .577 (15-26) for the Loggers.
A 13-0 run early in the second half got the Bruins back within striking distance at 45-40 with 13:08 to go, and the home team finally took its first lead, 54-53, on a basket by Brittanie Strutz with 6:41 to play. Two baskets by Lucy Wilson and another by Lindsay May put Puget Sound back on top by five before the Bruins rallied again. Darby Cave's layup with 50 seconds left gave George Fox a 63-61 lead, but May tied it again with a short jumper with 32 seconds to go. A Bruin turnover with 9 seconds left gave the Loggers a chance to win it in regulation, but Jen McLuen missed a three-point try to send it into overtime
McLuen hit the first basket of the overtime with 4:00 left for a 65-63 Logger lead, but Thomas hit a free throw at 1:38 to cut that to 65-64. Keaton then clinched the win with her trey that hit the rim, bounced straight up and came back down through the net. Wilson added a pair of free throws with 0:05 left for the final margin.
Kim Leith led the disappointed Bruins with 17 points, Thomas added 11, and Liz Clark scored 10. Clark had 9 rebounds and Thomas and Sarah Myhre had 8 each as George Fox controlled the boards 49-38. Amy Fitch has 6 assists, and Thomas led the defensive effort with 7 steals.
May paced the Loggers with 21 points, and Wilson and Allison McCurdy had 12 each. Wilson made it a double-double with a game-high 13 rebounds, and McCurdy pulled down 8. Keaton chalked up 5 assists.
George Fox fell to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the conference as the Bruins saw their three-game winning streak snapped. Puget Sound improved to 10-4 overall and 3-2 in league play.
The Bruins host first-place Pacific Lutheran University Saturday (Jan. 18) while the Loggers visit Pacific University Saturday. Both games start at 6:00 p.m., followed by men's games at 8:00 p.m.