Press Release
2/10 - GEORGE FOX 74, PACIFIC 52: Bruins Secure NWC Tourney Home Game by Beating Boxers
NEWBERG, Ore. - Guaranteeing themselves at least one home game in the upcoming Northwest Conference women's basketball tournament, the George Fox University Bruins broke open a tight game late in the first half and went on to a 74-52 win over the visiting Pacific University Boxers Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
With the win, which was coach Scott Rueck's 199th, the Bruins improved to 15-6 overall and 11-3 in the league. George Fox remains a game behind front-running University of Puget Sound, which defeated Whitman College earlier Saturday. Both have two games remaining. If the Bruins and Loggers should tie, George Fox would have the tiebreaker and host the tournament finale on Feb. 24. If the Bruins finish second, they would host the third-place team on Feb. 22. Pacific, meanwhile, fell to 6-15 overall and 2-12 in conference play.
George Fox led for almost eight minutes to open the game, taking a 14-9 lead six minutes in on a layup by Katy Campbell, who had 13 first-half points. The Boxers then went on a 9-0 run, capped by a three-pointer by Kami Shigematsu, to take an 18-14 lead with 11 minutes left. Back-to-back threes by Jaime Hubka and Kaleigha Ramey gave the Bruins a 20-18 advantage before Shigematsu, who scored 11 in the period, tied it for the first and only time 20-20 with a basket at the 9:17 mark.
Tiffany Behary broke the tie for the Bruins with another trey and the home team began to pull away, capping the half with a 9-0 run that gave them a 40-27 lead at intermission. Shigematsu hit another three to open the second half, cutting the margin to 40-30, but Campbell sparked a 13-0 run with six points to make it 53-30 with 16:12 left, and the Bruins cruised the rest of the way. The largest margin was 26 points at 57-31 with 13:05 left on a pair of Ramey free throws.
Campbell led all scorers with 19 points, while Robin Taylor posted her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Hubka added 11 points. Taylor also had five assists as the efficient Bruins collected 21 assists on 23 field goals. Kristen Shielee had four blocked shots. George Fox shot .451 (23-51) from the field, .880 (22-25) from the line, and out-rebounded the Boxers 38-34.
Shigematsu finished with 15 points, the only Boxer in double digits. Trisha Terhar and Ashley Stewart had five rebounds apiece, and Kaela Zarkovich had thee assists. The Boxers shot .295 (18-61) from the floor and .643 (9-14) from the charity stripe.
George Fox hosts Pacific Lutheran University Friday at 6 p.m., followed by the NWC men's game at 8 p.m. Pacific goes to Evergreen State College Sunday for a non-conference game at 2 p.m., making up a game that was postponed by bad weather in the Puget Sound area back in December.