Women's Basketball Release
12/2 - GEORGE FOX 58, WHITWORTH 42: Bruins Dominate Pirates in 2nd Half of NWC-Opening Win
NEWBERG, Ore. - Trailing for the first time in four games by two points at the half, the George Fox University Bruins opened the second half with an 18-0 run to take control and went on to a 58-42 win over the Whitworth College Pirates in the Northwest Conference women's basketball opener for both teams Friday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
As they had the last three games, the Bruins started strong, scoring the first six points of the game and building a 17-7 lead midway through the first half. The offense then went ice-cold, making only one shot in nine attempts the rest of the period, enabling the Pirates to rally. Meaghan Beauchamp's jumper with 21 seconds left gave Whitworth a 24-22 halftime lead, the first time the Bruins had trailed in a game since their season opener on Nov. 18 against Southern Oregon.
The deficit did not last for long. Kim Leith drained a three-pointer 33 seconds into the second half for a 25-24 George Fox lead and the Bruins were off and running. With Leith scoring 10 points, the Bruins outscored the Pirates 18-0 over a four-and-a-half minute span to take a 40-24 lead before the string was broken on a three by Beauchamp with 15:06 left. That 14-point margin was as close as the visitors would get again.
Leith finished with 12 points to lead the Bruins, Katy Campbell scored 11, and Tiffany Schmidt added 10. Schmidt had a game-high 9 rebounds as the Bruins controlled the boards 48-35. Robin Taylor and Tiffany Behary had 3 assists and 3 steals apiece. As a team, the Bruins shot only .349 (22-63) from the field, including 2-24 from three-point range, but the defense picked up the slack as they held the Pirates to a .283 (15-53) shooting percentage and forced 22 turnovers.
Beauchamp was the only Pirate in double figures with 12 points and had 5 rebounds, as did Emily Hendrickson and Alida Bower. Holly Ridings had 3 assists.
George Fox, ranked No. 6 in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, is now 5-0 overall, while Whitworth fell to 3-2. The Bruins host Whitman College Saturday and the Pirates go to Linfield College, both games at 4:00 p.m. followed by men's games at 6:00 p.m.