2/21 - GEORGE FOX 59, WILLAMETTE 49: Bruins Close Out Season with Comeback Win over Willamette
NEWBERG, Ore. - A 14-0 run during the final 5 minutes of the game enabled the George Fox University Bruins to pull away from the upset-minded Willamette University Bearcats for a 59-49 Northwest Conference women's basketball victory Friday night (Feb. 21) here at the Wheeler Sports Center.
Both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket in the early stages of the game, with George Fox gradually building a 15-9 lead with 8:59 left in the half on a 3-pointer by Emily Ruggles. The Bruins then went ice-cold, going scoreless for over 7 minutes while the Bearcats went on a 13-0 run for a 22-15 lead. Kellie Thomas finally broke the Bruin scoring drought with a trey at the 1:34 mark, but Willamette would not rattle and upped the lead to 29-19 at the half. George Fox shot only 22.6% (7-31) in the first 20 minutes.
But the home team came out hot to start the second half, going on an 18-6 run in the first 8 1/2 minutes to go up 39-35 with 13:45 to play. Liz Clark and Darby Cave nailed 8 points each in that stretch to fuel the comeback. But the Bearcats would not go quietly, Rosie Contri's 3-pointer at 5:23 giving the Bearcats a 46-45 lead.
From that moment on, however, the game belonged to the Bruins. Led by Kim Leith, who hit a short jumper and 4 free throws, the Bruins scored 14 unanswered points while holding the Bearcats scoreless until Simmie Muth hit a trey with 3 seconds left.
Thomas led all scorers with 18, Cave scored 15, and Clark recorded her 3rd double-double of the season with 12 points and 17 rebounds, tying her career high in boards. The Bruins dominated the backboards 48-35, including a 24-12 edge in the second half, and more than doubled their shooting mark in the half to 51.9% (14-27). Defensively, the Bruins held Willamette to 27.6% (16-58) for the game, and only 20% (5-25) in the second half.
Muth scored 14 to lead the Bearcats, Deanna Lund had 12, and Contri tallied 10. Muth led Willamette on the boards with 7.
George Fox finished the season 15-10 overall, the 10th straight winning season for the Bruins, and in 4th place in the conference at 10-6. Willamette, last in the conference, fell to 8-16 overall and 2-13 in the league, and will close out its season Saturday (Feb. 22), hosting the University of Puget Sound at 6:00 p.m.