Women's Basketball Release
12/30 - GEORGE FOX 82, HOPE INTERNATIONAL 69: Bruins Stretch Winning Streak to 10 by Downing Royals
FULLERTON, Calif. - Leading wire-to-wire for the fifth time this season, the George Fox University Bruins stretched their season-opening winning streak to 10 in a row with an 82-69 victory over the Hope International University Royals in a non-conference women's basketball game Friday night here at HIU's Darling Pavilion.
With Kim Leith hitting four of her first five shots, the Bruins jumped out to a 12-4 lead four minutes into the game. Leith picked up two quick fouls, however, which limited her to only five minutes in the half, but Tiffany Schmidt picked up the slack, scoring 9 points off the bench as the Bruins stretched the margin to 48-34 at the half. George Fox connected on a red-hot 60.6% (20-33) in the first half to a 35.5% (11-31) for the Royals, who got 12 points from Jasmine Nault in the period.
Schmidt's jumper with 14:11 left in the game gave the Bruins their largest lead of 22 at 64-42, but the home team rallied behind Carly Andrews' 15 second-half points. An 18-4 run brought the Royals back within single digits at 68-60 with 6:38 to play, but a free throw by Katy Campbell, two charity tosses by Robin Taylor, and a bucket by Campbell got the lead back up to 13, and the Bruins were not seriously threatened again.
Taylor poured in 17 points to lead George Fox, who also got 14 points from Leith in only 15 minutes, 11 from Schmidt on 5-5 shooting, and 11 points and 6 assists from Tiffany Behary. Campbell led all rebounders in the game with 8, and also picked up 4 steals.
Andrews with 17 points and Nault with 16 topped the Royals before both fouled out, and Malerie Rodrigues added 14. Sara Lycans-Roy was HIU's leader on the boards with 6, while Stephanie Wenke passed out 4 assists.
George Fox (10-0), ranked 2nd in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division III coaches' poll and 3rd in the D3hoops.com poll, is one win away from equaling the team's record for most consecutive wins of 11, accomplished in both the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. The Bruins will try to tie the mark Monday when they visit Biola University in La Mirada, Calif., for a 2:00 afternoon game.
Hope International (7-3), an NAIA team, returns to action Tuesday, traveling to California Baptist University in Riverside, Calif., for a Golden State Athletic Conference game at 5:30 p.m.