Box
Score
NEWBERG, Ore. - With his team trailing by 10 points and time
running out, George Fox University senior point guard Brent Satern
took control, scoring the game's final 11 points in the remaining
2:15 as the Bruins stunned the Willamette University Bearcats 58-57
in Northwest Conference men's basketball action Friday night here
at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
After Willamette took two-point leads three times in the game's
first two minutes, George Fox took its only first-half lead at 9-6
on a layup and subsequent free throw by Evan Atwater with 16:41 to
go in the period. The Bearcats, scorching the nets with a .667
shooting percentage early in the game, then went on a 13-2 run to
take an eight-point lead of 19-11 with 12:19 left on a Corey
Costantino jumper. The half remained steady thereafter as the both
teams' shooting tailed off, and the Bearcats took a 28-22 advantage
into the halftime.
Taylor Martin hit a layup to bring the Bruins within four at the
start of the second half, but the Bearcats responded with seven
points in a row, Mike Smith hitting two free throws and a
three-pointer to cap the rally, to make it a 35-24 ballgame with
18:08 to play. The visitors eventually built the lead to as much as
15 points at 44-29 on another Costantino basket with 13:41 left.
The Bruins began to chip away at the deficit and got within five at
52-47 with 5:09 to go on a Bryan O'Connell free throw, but the
Bearcats boosted the margin back to 10 at 57-47 on two Costantino
free throws, a jumper by Smith, and a free toss by Kyler McClary
with 2:48 left.
Satern then took over, hitting a three from the top of the key
at 2:15 and then one from the right wing at 1:52 to cut the deficit
to 57-53. After both teams missed their next shots, the Bearcats
threw the ball away on an inbounds play from the sideline and
Satern drove for a layup to cut it to 57-55 with 41 seconds left.
The Bearcats then heaved the ball away again against the Bruins'
full-court pressure, and Satern scored on another drive and was
fouled with 26 seconds left, calmly adding the free throw that put
the Bruins ahead 58-57. Robbie Kunke missed a go-ahead jumper and
O'Connell rebounded with 16 seconds left and was fouled, but missed
the one-and-one, giving the Bearcats one last chance. The Bruin
defense prevented the Bearcats from working the ball inside, and
Smith's three-point try from the right wing was short as the buzzer
sounded.
Satern was the only Bruin in double figures, scoring 20 points
on 8-12 from the field with two threes and two free throws. He also
had four assists, as did Mark Metzler, and three steals. Travis
Toedtemeier led the Bruins on the boards with six.
The Bearcats were led by Smith with 18 points and Costantino and
McClary with 10 apiece. The Bearcats, who entered the game 11th
nationally in three-point percentage, were only 2-8 (.250) for the
game. McClary made it a double-double with a game-high 12 rebounds,
leading the Bearcats to a 38-32 margin on the glass. Costantino and
Kunke had four assists each, and Costantino added four steals.
George Fox (7-13, NWC 3-8), coming off back-to-back one-point
wins in which the opponent had the game's last shot, entertains
Linfield College Saturday at 8:00 p.m. on Homecoming Night.
Willamette (8-12, NWC 6-5) returns homes to host Pacific Lutheran
University, also at 8:00 p.m. Both games will be preceded by NWC
women's contests at 6:00 p.m.
