3/5 - GEORGE FOX 86, CHAPMAN 55: Bruins Rout Panthers in Second Half to Advance to "Sweet 16"
NEWBERG, Ore. - Starter Liz Clark posted a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 20 rebounds while Katy Campbell scored a career and game-high 18 points off the bench, leading the George Fox University Bruins to an 86-55 win over the Chapman University Panthers in second-round action of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Tournament Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
The first half indicated that a tight game was in the offing as George Fox led for most of the half, but only by small margins. Chapman held an early 4-2 lead on Sarah Brands' layup with 16:35 left in the half, but the Bruins regained an 8-7 lead that they would not give up again on a jumper by Kellie Thomas with 15:17 to go. That sparked an 11-0 run that gave the Bruins a 17-7 advantage, but the Panthers responded with a 9-0 burst to get back within one at 17-16 with 10:07 left. George Fox led 38-32 at the break.
After hitting only .371 (13-35) in the first half, the Bruins found their shooting touch at the start of the second half, exploding on a 25-7 run that stretched the lead to 24 at 63-39 with 12:04 remaining. Katy Campbell scored 8, including a pair of three-pointers, and Robin Taylor added 7 points in that span. The Panthers got no closer than 18 the rest of the way. George Fox's largest lead was 31 three times, including the final score. It was the widest margin of victory for any team in the first two rounds of the tournament, topping the 27-point differential in a 62-35 win by Washington (Mo.) over Webster in the first round.
In addition to the big games by Clark and Campbell, Thomas added 14, and Taylor and Kim Leith scored 10, giving the Bruins a quintet in double figures. Clark's rebounding led the Bruins to a 51-36 edge on the boards, including 24 offensive rebounds, 9 by Clark. Erin Powers and Leith had 4 assists each, while the Bruin defense made 13 steals and forced 25 turnovers.
Brands and Brenda Gallardo scored 13 apiece to pace the Panthers, and Brands had a team-high 9 rebounds. Gayle Sonoda passed out 4 assists.
"We got beat by a very good team; they're very athletic and one of the best three-pointing shooting teams we've seen," admitted Chapman coach Carol Jue, pointing to the Bruins' 11 three-point goals. "You just don't expect a 'five' player (Campbell) to come out and hit threes like she did. I think our defense frustrated (Kim) Leith a little, and I know she's their best player, but she is complimented by a great team and they showed it tonight."
Leith, the Player of the Year for the Northwest Conference champions, was held to a 4-13 shooting night, but that's where Campbell's huge night paid off.
"We came out a little rusty to start the game," noted Campbell, a freshman, "but we're a pretty deep team and Coach (Scott Rueck) looks to us to give the team some life off the bench. I just decided it was my time to step up and try to give the team a little spark."
"Liz (Clark) set the tone for us early; she was everywhere," pointed out Rueck, "and the bench gave us the lift we needed to start the second half. Katy's right, we were a bit rusty from having a couple of games that weren't very close to end the season and then not playing in the first round, but we played with a lot of energy tonight. I thought Chapman executed well against our zone and got some good shots early, but once we settled down and began hitting our shots, that put the pressure on them, as did our defense."
Chapman ends its fifth straight season in the NCAA playoffs at 21-6, while George Fox advances to a sectional Mar. 11-12 with a 21-5 record. The Bruins will take on St. Benedict College Friday at a time and site to be announced some time Sunday. Trinity (Texas) and Randolph-Macon are the other teams in the Bruins' bracket.