Box Score
NEWBERG, Ore. - With four players scoring in
double figures and another just missing with nine points, the
balanced Concordia University-Portland Cavaliers established a big
first-half lead and spoiled the home opener for the George Fox
University Bruins with a 72-58 men's basketball win Saturday
night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
Concordia took an early 4-0 lead on baskets by Steven Vaughn and
Sergio Rosario, but the Bruins rallied to take their only lead of
the game at 7-6 just over four minutes into the
game. Chico (Calif.) College transfer Jack
Martin did all the damage for the Bruins, canning two jumpers and a
three-pointer. The Cavaliers regained the lead
with a 7-0 run, sparked by two buckets and a free throw from Matt
Ochs, and never trailed again.
George Fox stayed close for a few minutes and snuck within three
points at 18-15 on a layup by Grant Vahalla with ten minutes left
in the period, but then the Cavs exploded for a 16-2 spurt to
double the score at 34-17 with 5:24 to go.
Dustin Hiebert, who came off the bench to sink a trio of treys for
nine first-half points, hit the three that capped the run, then hit
another to give the Cavs their largest lead of the half at 37-19
with 4:22 remaining. Martin hit another three to
pull the Bruins within 12 at 38-26 at the break.
The second half was mainly a matter of Concordia maintaining the
status quo as the Cavaliers kept a double-digit lead throughout the
final 20 minutes. Their largest margin was 23
points when Hiebert hit his fourth three of the game to make it
55-32 at the 12:37 mark. The Bruins managed to
creep back within 10 points when Martin sank a pair of free throws
to cut it to 61-51 with 4:39 left, but the Cavs responded with a
three by Rosario and a jumper by Vaughan, effectively sealing the
victory.
Martin finished with a game-high 17 points, the only Bruin in
double figures, though Evan Atwater just missed with
nine. The Bruins struggled from the floor,
however, hitting only 21-61 for 34.4%. Travis
Toedtemeier and Bryan O'Connell each had a game-high nine
rebounds as George Fox owned a 44-36 advantage on the
boards. Joe Ahn passed out five assists.
Rosario paced the Cavaliers with 14 points, Vaughan and Hiebert
added 12 each, Ochs had 10, and Desmond Meray chipped in with
nine. Vaughan had a team-leading seven rebounds,
and Jeffrey Sego handed out five assists. Ochs
had four steals as the Cavs forced 17 Bruin turnovers while
committing only 10 themselves.
George Fox (0-3) now heads for Hawai'i during the
Thanksgiving break to play in the Surf's Up Invitational at
Kalani High School in Honolulu. The Bruins meet
California Lutheran University on Friday at 3:00 p.m. Pacific time
(1:00 in Hawai'i) and Whittier College on Saturday at 5:00
p.m. Pacific time (3:00 in Hawai'i).
Concordia (3-1) visits Linfield College Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
