MBSK: UW-RIVER FALLS 94, GEORGE FOX 59 – Bruins Fall to Falcons in Non-NWC Finale

RIVER FALLS, Wisc. - An inability to get their shots to fall plagued the George Fox University Bruins for the second day in a row as they dropped a 94-59 decision to the University of Wisconsin-Rive Falls Falcons in their final non-conference men's basketball game of the season Tuesday night here at the Karges Center.

After struggling to a .382 shooting percentage in a 91-63 loss at Augsburg College the day before, the Bruins managed only a .319 mark (22-69) against River Falls as they fell to 3-6 on the season with their fifth straight loss.  The Falcons shot a blistering .567 from the field (38-67) in evening their record at 6-6.

After missing their first shot of the game, the Falcons hit four layups in a row, two each by Jake Voeltz and Brady Hannigan, to open up an 8-0 lead two minutes into the game.  The Bruins finally got on the board when Evan Atwater laid one in after a feed from Stephen Wiseley with 17:37 left in the period, but the Falcons continued their hot shooting, making four more in a row after a miss to open up a 19-8 lead with 14:38 to go on a three-pointer by Danny Johnson.  The Falcons' lead remained in double digits the rest of the way.

River Falls held a 57-23 halftime lead after sinking 22-of-35 shots in the first half, a .629 percentage, to 7-of-31 for a .226 percentage for George Fox.

The Falcons remained comfortably ahead throughout the second half as they shot .500 (16-32) in the period, taking their largest lead of 47 points when Michael Adams nailed a three to make it 92-45 with 6:11 left.  The Bruins, whose shooting picked up in the final 20 minutes to .395 (15-38), closed the game with a 14-2 run, Ethan Brown's two free throws with 13 seconds left making the final score the closest the Bruins came in the second half. 

Rich Smith led the Bruins with 12 points and just missed a double-double with a game-high nine rebounds.  Atwater and Alex Stockner added 11 points each, and Wiseley handed out three assists. 

Voeltz led a quintet of Falcons in double figures with 21 points, getting help from Johnson with 13, Wade Guerin with 12, and Jontae Koonkaeew and Spencer Shelman with 10 apiece.  Voeltz had seven rebounds as the Falcons controlled the boards 42-36.  Koonkaew and Dijon Reese had five assists each.

NOTES: George Fox begins Northwest Conference play Saturday, hosting the University of Puget Sound at 6:00 p.m.  The George Fox-Puget Sound women's game will precede the men's game at 4:00 p.m. ... Wisconsin-River Falls visits Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday for a non-conference tilt at 7:30 p.m.