MBSK: CORBAN 82, GEORGE FOX 72 – Short-Handed Bruins Fall Short of Warriors

SALEM, Ore. - Playing short-handed with two of their starters attending an important evening class, the George Fox University Bruins came out on the short end of an 82-72 score against the Corban College Warriors in a non-conference men's basketball game Tuesday night here at the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.

The first half was a game of streaks.  Corban used a 7-0 run, featuring a layup and a three-pointer by Jake Mauermann, to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 13-7 lead with 13:40 left in the half.  The Bruins responded with a 7-0 run of their own, with a fast break layup and a three by Alex Stockner and a baseline jumper by Dan Lingenfelder, to regain the lead at 14-13 two minutes later.  The Warriors then reeled off nine unanswered points, capped by a putback by Nash Keene, to go up 22-14 with 8:12 remaining.

Corban stayed ahead until there was a minute left.  Down by six, Stockner hit a three from the right wing and was fouled but missed the free throw.  The Bruins rebounded the ball, and Evan Atwater nailed a three from the left to tie it 35-35.  After a Corban miss, the Bruins played for the last shot of the half but turned it over with five seconds left, and Jordan Graneto's three at the buzzer gave the Warriors a 38-35 halftime lead.

After trading two baskets apiece to start the second half, the Bruins moved ahead 45-44 on a jumper in the lane by Cole Whitehurst with 16:12 remaining.  Ben Potloff's driving layup at the 15-minute mark put the Warriors back on top 46-45, starting a 6-0 run that put the home team ahead for good.

Stockner hit a trey with 12:18 left to keep the Bruins within two at 52-50, but the Warriors began to pull away after that.  A 20-7 run over the next seven-and-a-half minutes, with six different players contributing points, lifted the Warriors to a 15-point lead of 72-57 with 4:50 to play.  The Bruins got no closer than 10 thereafter.

The Bruins, who played without starters Rich Smith at center and Stephen Wiseley at point guard, were led by Stockner with 21 points.  Atwater added 19, Whitehurst a career-high 13, and Lingenfelder 10, all in the first half.  Whitehurst grabbed nine rebounds and passed out five assists.

Bryan Martin paced the Warriors with 18 points, while Potloff and Ian Logan added 11 each.  Logan had a double-double with 10 rebounds as Corban won the battle of the boards, 40-37.  Martin handed out five assists and made three steals.  The Warriors made only three three-point field goals to 10 for the Bruins, but it was enough to extend their college national record to 762 straight games with a three-pointer.

NEXT: George Fox (3-3) plays its final game before the start of the holidays when the Bruins travel to Kirkland, Wash., for a non-conference game against the Northwest University Eagles Friday at 7:30 p.m. ... Corban (5-5) also plays Friday at 7:30 p.m., hosting Pacific University in a non-conference clash.