By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Willamette University trailed 24-7 just over six minutes into the game and fell behind by 57-38 early in the second half, but the Bearcats cut the margin to 74-72 with 5:14 to play, before Pacific University won 96-87 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The Boxers limited Willamette to 36 points in the first half, but the Bearcats tallied 51 points and shot 53.6% from the field (15 of 28) in the second half.
Jack Boydell (Grad., W, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS), who topped the Bearcats with 20 points, earned 17 points in the final 20 minutes. Boydell was 5 for 9 on 3-pointers. He also earned four rebounds. Boydell has scored 1,265 points in his career.
Josiah Frank (Jr., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) contributed 19 points, while hitting 7 of 12 field goals. Frank has tallied 16 or more points in seven games this season, while Boydell has scored 15 or more points in eight games.
Caleb Moore (So., G, Wadley, GA/Washington County HS/Bard College) of WU scored 12 points against the Boxers to go with five rebounds and three assists. Gavin Weisweaver (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Vallivue HS/Treasure Valley CC) finished with 11 points, while Gavin Rippere (Sr., F, Salinas, CA/Salinas HS/Clark College) earned nine points, seven boards, three steals, and a blocked shot. Kahiau Bruhn (So., W, Waimanalo, HI/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama) recorded six points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists, and a steal.
The Boxers were led by Devin Fortune with 26 points and 14 rebounds. He was 8 of 22 on field goals and 9 for 11 at the free throw line. Fortune blocked three shots. Lucas Gray and Jake Blazona each scored 18 points and supplied four assists for Pacific. Gray added six boards. Zachary Bates provided eight rebounds, while Gabe Abbott scored eight points.
Pacific's success at the start of the game featured four or more points from four players, led by Gray with six points on a pair of 3-point shots. WU countered with a 7-0 run starting with a floating jumper by Frank and also including a steal and fast-break layup by Rippere and a 3-pointer by Frank. The trifecta by Frank reduced Pacific's margin to 24-14. A bit later, Willamette pulled within 28-19 on a traditional three-point play from Frank with 8:47 on the clock.
The Bearcats trailed 44-34 following a layup by Ryder Hsiung (Jr., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) with 2:54 left in the half. Pacific added a 9-0 run to increase its lead to 19 points. Moore earned a steal and a driving layup for Willamette as the half ended to reduce the margin to 53-36.
Rippere scored first in the second half on a hook shot. The Boxers responded with two layups for a 57-38 lead and Pacific later held a 60-42 edge with 15:36 to play. Willamette gradually sliced away at the lead, pulling within 60-49 on a 3-pointer by Boydell at the 13:37 mark, and moving within 63-57 when Frank hit a jump shot with 10:11 on the clock.
Pacific used a 9-1 surge to increase the lead to 72-58 after Fortune made 1 of 2 free throws with 8:06 left. Boydell answered 12 seconds later with a 3-pointer for the Bearcats.
Willamette moved within three points at 74-71 on another 3-pointer by Boydell with 5:36 to go. The Bearcats reduced the margin to 74-72 when Boydell sank 1 of 2 free throws at the 5:14 mark. WU also trailed by just two points, 76-74, following a floating jumper by Frank with 4:52 to go. The Boxers pulled way with a 9-2 run that included one 3-pointer each by Drew Gumin, Blazona, and Gray, giving Pacific an 85-76 lead.
Boydell hit a jumper and Frank converted two free throws with 2:09 left, as the Bearcats moved within 85-80. Willamette was unable to get closer, as the Boxers hit 11 of 12 free throws the rest of the way.
The Bearcats shot 43.3% for the game (29 of 67), but made just 7 of 25 three-point shots (28.0%). Pacific connected on 32 of 68 field goals (47.1%) and hit 13 of 22 three-point attempts (59.1%). Both teams shot well at the charity stripe, as Willamette was 22 of 29 (75.9%) and the Boxers went 19 for 25 (76.0%).
Pacific won the battle on the boards, 46-33, and held a 17-8 margin in second-chance points. Willamette gained a 36-30 scoring edge in the paint. The Bearcats also recorded a 28-21 lead in bench scoring.
Willamette will play another road game on Friday, Jan. 12 at the University of Puget Sound. Game time in Tacoma, Washington, is set for 8 p.m. PST.
