2/5 - GEORGE FOX 72, WHITWORTH 55: Bruins Ambush 10th-Ranked Pirates to Regain Tie for NWC Lead
NEWBERG, Ore. - Handing 10th-ranked Whitworth College only its second loss of the season and regaining a share of first place in the Northwest Conference women's basketball race, the George Fox University Bruins scored the first 12 points of the game and never trailed in a 72-55 victory over the Pirates Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
With Tiffany Behary scoring seven points and Kellie Thomas five, including a three-pointer by each, the Bruins opened up a 12-0 lead four minutes into the game and held the Pirates scoreless for six-and-a-half. Sarah Shogren finally got the Pirates on the board with a trey at the 13:30 mark. The Bruins extended their lead to 21 at 34-13 on a layup by Robin Taylor with 2:42 to play, but the Pirates' Holly Ridings made two steals that led to two baskets in the final 30 seconds of the half, cutting the Bruin advantage to 35-19 at the intermission.
Whitworth scored six of the first seven points of the second half to mount a comeback and got the deficit back under 10 at 44-35 on a pair of Shogren free throws with 12:13 to play. Dani Bielec's three-pointer at 10:44 cut it to 46-40, but a 9-0 run, capped by a Liz Clark three, put the Bruins back up 55-40 with 7:30 to go. The Pirates again closed within eight at 61-53 on a Shogren layup with 2:52 left, but the Bruins, with consecutive threes by Kim Leith, Taylor, and Katy Campbell, went on an 11-2 game-ending run to remove all doubt.
Three George Fox guards combined for 47 points, with Behary and Taylor scoring 16 each and Leith 15. Clark and Campbell had 9 rebounds apiece as the Bruins out-boarded the Pirates 34-26. Clark had a career-high 8 assists. The Bruins had their best shooting night of the season as they hit .537 (29-54) for the game.
Tiffany Speer had 16 points to pace the Pirates, Shogren finished with 14, and Ridings added 12. Bielec was the top rebounder with 6 and picked up 4 steals. Wenchi Liu, Bielec, and Ridings had 3 assists each. The Pirates shot only .340 (16-47) from the field.
George Fox improved to 14-5 overall and 8-2 in the conference with its win before a Homecoming crowd of some 1,750, believed to be the largest women's crowd in Bruin history. It was the Bruins' second win over a ranked opponent this season, along with a 50-42 defeat of the University of Puget Sound when the Loggers were ranked 16th. Whitworth is now 17-2 overall and 8-2 in the NWC.
The Bruins host Willamette University and the Pirates entertain Puget Sound next Friday, both games at 6:00 p.m. followed by men's games at 8:00 p.m.