Women's Basketball Release
1/6 -PUGET SOUND 85, GEORGE FOX 61: Red-Hot Loggers Ruin Bruins' Hopes for Record Winning Streak
TACOMA, Wash. - Scorching the nets for a 59.6 shooting percentage, including 68 percent in the first half, the University of Puget Sound Loggers ended George Fox University's hopes for a record-setting 12th straight win with a resounding 85-61 victory over the Bruins in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game Friday night here at Memorial Fieldhouse.
George Fox, ranked 2nd in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division III coaches' poll and 4th in the D3hoops.com poll, saw its winning streak come to an end after equaling the 11-game streaks of the 2000-01 and 2001-02 teams. The Bruins are 11-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference, while the Loggers improved to 10-3 overall and 2-2 in the NWC.
With Robin Taylor hitting a pair of baskets and Kim Leith a three-pointer, the Bruins jumped out to a 7-2 lead three minutes into the game. Coincident to GFU point guard Tiffany Behary picking up two quick fouls and exiting the game, however, the Loggers went on a 12-0 run to take a 14-7 lead with 12 minutes left in the half. Hitting 17-25 from the field in the period, the Loggers stretched their lead to 42-28 at the break. Laura Hirsh, making her first start for UPS, and Shelby Ramirez scored 9 in the period, while the Bruins got 11 from Leith and 9 from Taylor, who shot a combined 8-15, but the Bruin posts were only 3-14.
The Loggers came out just as hot in the second half, hitting four of their first six shots and a pair of free throws by Kilty Keaton to up the lead to 53-30 with 16:12 lead. The Bruins made a mild run at the Loggers with 9-0 streak that cut the lead to 13 at 55-42 with 13 minutes left, and the Bruins eventually got it down to 12 on a Leith three with 8:46 left, 62-50. Brie Adderly halted the Bruins' comeback attempt at that point by hitting three consecutive baskets inside, and then Keaton went to work from the outside, nailing three three-pointers as the Loggers raced back out to as much as a 25-point lead. Keaton's bomb from the right corner made it 83-58 with a minute to play.
Leith finished with 21 points and Taylor had 15 as the only double-figure scorers for the Bruins. Katy Campbell had 5 rebounds and Behary passed out 4 assists. The Bruins' shooting improved to 47.8% in the second half after shooting 34.4% in the first half, but it was not enough to overcome the Loggers' sizzling night.
Keaton scored a career-high 31, 23 in the second half, to lead the Loggers, including 7 threes, while Sarah Carnahan added 12 points and Hirsh and Ramirez had 11 each. Hirsh and Keaton had 5 rebounds apiece as the Loggers owned the boards 33-22. Carnahan handed out 6 assists. The Loggers hit 53.1% (17-32) in the second half and ended up 34-57 from the field.
The Bruins visit Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., Saturday at 6 p.m., followed by the men's game at 8 p.m. The Loggers are off until next Friday when they will host Whitworth College at 6 p.m., with a men's game to follow at 8 p.m.