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Score
SALEM, Ore. - Ian Mansfield sank a pair of free throws with 5.2
seconds left in overtime, capping off a Willamette University
comeback from a 16-point second-half deficit as the Bearcats pulled
out a 73-71 victory over the visiting George Fox University Bruins
in Northwest Conference men's basketball action here Friday night.
The game was tight through the first 10 minutes, neither team
taking more than a four-point lead. Corey Costantino's jumper with
10 minutes left gave Willamette a 15-11 lead, but the Bruins
responded with a 12-0 run, featuring two driving baskets and two
free throws by Brent Satern and a pair of three-pointers by Travis
Toedtemeier, for a 23-15 lead with 7:24 left. Toedtemeier added two
more from long range later in the half, finishing with 12 points,
as the Bruins remained at least six points ahead and took a 37-26
lead into the intermission.
The Bruins stretched their lead to 16 points at 47-31 when Evan
Atwater drained a three from the left wing with 16:58 to play, and
were up by 12 at 51-39 after Satern hit a driving layup with 12:18
left. The Bearcats then mounted a furious comeback, scoring 11
unanswered points over the next five minutes and getting within one
at 51-50 when Mike Smith nailed a three from the left side with
7:08 to play. A layup by Joe Ahn and two free throws by Satern got
the Bruins going again, only to have Kyler McClary sink a layup and
a rebound basket to again cut the George Fox lead to one at 55-54
with 5:08 to go.
Two more Satern free throws, one by Taylor Martin, and a three
by Atwater boosted the Bruins back up by seven at 61-54 with 3:36
left, but the Bearcats closed within two when Smith drove for a
basket with 11.5 seconds left to make it 64-62. Satern hit the
second of two free throws with 9.9 seconds left for a 65-62 lead,
but McClary sent it into overtime with a trey from the left wing
with 4.2 on the clock for a 65-65 deadlock.
In the overtime, there were three ties and three lead changes.
After Martin, who scored all six of the Bruins' points in the extra
period, hit a jump hook in the lane with 32 seconds left for the
final tie at 71-71, the Bearcats worked the ball inside to
Mansfield, who was fouled and hit both free tosses for the winning
points. Atwater was then called for a charging foul as he tried to
drive the ball downcourt for a final Bruin shot.
The Bruins shot .418 (23-55) for the game, but after hitting
6-11 on threes in the first half, were only 2-11 from long range
the rest of the way. Free throw troubles again plagued the Bruins
as they made only 12-22 in the second half and overtime to finish
at .586 (17-29) for the game. The Bearcats were much more accurate
from the line, and therein lay the story, as they hit .842 (16-19)
from the stripe while making .464 (26-56) from the field.
Satern paced the Bruins with 19 points, Toedtemeier had 13,
Atwater 12, and Martin 11. Satern and Bryan O'Connell had five
rebounds each, and Satern handed out seven assists.
Smith tallied 23 and McClary 22 for the Bearcats, who also got
11 from Mansfield. Cameron Mitchell grabbed nine rebounds, and
Robbie Kunke passed out six assists.
George Fox (4-8, NWC 0-3), which dropped its fifth in a row and
13th straight to the Bearcats in Salem, visits Yamhill County rival
Linfield College Saturday, while Willamette (4-8, 2-1) visits
Pacific Lutheran University Saturday. Both games tip off at 8:00
p.m. following NWC women's games at 6:00 p.m.
