Box Score THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Senior wing
Keisha
Gordon posted a double-double of 21 points and 10
rebounds, leading the third-ranked George Fox University Bruins to
a 63-51 win over the California Lutheran University Regals in the
final round of the Posada Royale Thanksgiving Women's Basketball
Classic Sunday afternoon here at Gilbert Arena.
In earning the win over Cal Lutheran, the Bruins improved to 4-0
on the season and gained a measure of revenge for their last
meeting on Nov. 22, 2009, in Thousand Oaks when the Regals took a
54-48 win. That loss ended a 36-game winning streak by the
Bruins which included their 32-0 record and NCAA Division III
National Championship in 2008-09. Cal Lutheran saw its record
fall to 2-2.
The Bruins got off to a good start when Megan Arnoldy hit a
three-pointer from the top of the key for the first points of the
game, but then they missed their next eight shots, allowing the
Regals to forge ahead 6-3 on two baskets by Shana Moore and a
jumper by Jazmyne Porter. George Fox momentarily regained the
lead 13-12 on a free throw by Hannah Munger midway
through the period, but a jumper by Channing Fleischmann and three
by Porter gave CLU its largest lead of 17-13 with eight minutes to
go.
A tip-in by Gordon with 6:16 to play ignited a 13-2 run by the
Bruins over the next four minutes. Two free throws by Munger
tied it, and Gordon's three gave the Bruins a 20-17 lead at
4:07. Following a rebound basket by the Regals' Rachel Heagy,
Hayley Cusick
nailed a three and Arianna Mohsenian added
two free throws and a three-pointer to extend the George Fox lead
to 28-19. The Regals ended the half with a 6-0 run, including
a three by Chelsey Hastigan, to narrow the margin to 28-25 at the
break.
Hastigan hit another three to open the second half, tying the
game 28-28, and Heagy hit a short jumper in the lane to give the
Regals a 30-28 lead with 15:48 left as the Bruins missed four shots
and committed three turnovers in the opening four minutes. A
basket by Breezy
Rinehart-Young at the 15:24 mark got the Bruin on the board in
the half, tying the game and ending an 11-0 Cal Lutheran run.
Over the next seven minutes, George Fox took leads of two to
four points three times, only to have the Regals rally to tie it
again each time. Two free throws and a layup by Carrie Myers gave the Bruins
a six-point lead of 46-40 with 7:39 remaining.
Cal Lutheran got back within two on a layup by Moore and two
Hastigan free throws, but layups by Munger and Cusick and two
charity tosses by Cusick made it 52-44 Bruins with 3:22 left.
Fleischmann hit a three to give the Regals some hope, but Mohsenian
answered at the other end with a three, Munger put back a missed
shot, and Gordon drained a three to give the Bruins a clinching
60-47 lead with 1:05 left.
Gordon's big night for the Bruins, her second double-double of
the season, moved her within one point of fifth place on the
all-time scoring list at George Fox. She now has 1,340 points
to 1,341 for Tammy Lewis (1985-89). Munger and Cusick chipped
in with 11 points each. Mohsenian passed out three assists,
Gordon had three steals, and Munger swapped away six Regal shots
inside.
Moore collected 12 points and Hastigan 11 while Moore and Heagy
had five rebounds apiece for the Regals, who were out-rebounded
35-25. Meaghan Goodenough handed out four assists and made
five steals.
Gordon was voted the Classic MVP and Munger was named to the
All-Tournament Team, as were Moore and Hastigan of Cal Lutheran,
Kayla Johnson and Emily Guthrie of Whitworth University, and Kimi
Takaoka of Chapman University.
NEXT: George Fox begins Northwest Conference
play next weekend, visiting Whitman College Friday and Whitworth
University Saturday. Both games tip off at 6:00 p.m.,
followed by NWC men's games at 8:00 p.m. ... Cal Lutheran hits the
road to play Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, next
Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time (1:00 p.m. Eastern).