Women's Basketball Release
12/9 - GEORGE FOX 100, WESTERN OREGON 72: Bruins Tie Record with 16 Threes in Win over Wolves
NEWBERG, Ore. - Tying a team record with 16 three-point field goals, including six by Kim Leith en route to a game-high 22 points, the George Fox University Bruins out-gunned the Western Oregon University Wolves 100-72 in a non-conference women's basketball game Friday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
The game began as if Western Oregon would be the team to set a three-point record, as the Wolves' first five baskets all came from long range. After Leith hit a pair of treys for a 6-0 Bruin lead, the Wolves went on a 15-4 run with Chelsea Pahl hitting three from downtown, Leada Berkey one, and Ali Crumb one. The Bruins followed with on a 10-0 run of their own, however, Leith hitting a jumper and a three to cap the rally, for a 20-15 lead, and never trailed again.
With Leith scoring 16 in the half, the Bruins led 47-37 at intermission, and maintained a double-digit lead most of the rest of the game. The final score was the largest margin of the game, Mandee Spotts giving the Bruins the century mark in points with a free throw with six seconds left.
The Bruins were on target all night, hitting .533 (16-30) from the field in the first half and .552 (16-29) in the second half for a .542 game percentage. They were even more deadly from outside, hitting .545 (6-11) in the first period and .714 (10-14) in the final 20 minutes. Their 16 threes tied a record set against Lewis & Clark College on Feb. 8, 2000. Leith's six three-pointers were one short of the single-game mark of seven by Christy Brock against Whitman College on Jan. 8, 1999.
Western Oregon also shot well in the first half (.536, 15-28 from the field and .636, 7-11 on threes), but cooled off to .464 (13-28) in the second half and only .250 (2-8) from three-point range. Pahl had 14 points in the first half, hitting four treys, but was held scoreless in the second half.
Leith's 22 points led a quintet of Bruins in double figures for the second night in a row. Robin Taylor added 14 to the mix, with Tiffany Behary, Tiffany Schmidt, and Kaleigha Ramey scoring 11 each. It was a Bruin career high for each of the latter two. Schmidt, Katy Campbell, and Melissa Marek-Farris each had 5 rebounds as the Bruins won the battle of the boards 30-27. Karissa Boyd passed out 6 assists, and Leith made 4 steals.
Berkey topped the Wolves with 19 points, Crumb scored 17, Kate Potter tallied 16, and Pahl had 14. Berkey had a game-high 6 rebounds, and Crumb handed out a game-high 7 assists.
George Fox, ranked 5th in the WBCA poll and 7th in the D3hoops.com poll, is now 8-0 overall, while Division II Western Oregon is now 0-3. The Bruins' next game is a rematch with the Wolves in Monmouth on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 5:00 p.m. Before then, WOU hosts Corban College Saturday at 5:00 p.m.