By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
NEWBERG, Ore. -- Willamette University nearly rallied from an 88-74 deficit in the final 4:43, moving as close as 93-90 with 58 seconds left, but George Fox University made 5 of 6 free throws the rest of the way to hold on for a 98-92 win over the Bearcats on Friday, Jan. 27 at Miller Gymnasium. Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) supplied Willamette with a game-high 28 points, to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal. He scored 16 points in the second half.
Boydell, who ranks second in the Northwest Conference with 21.1 points per game, has scored 20 or more points 10 times this season. He has scored 980 points in his Willamette career. This year, Boydell is shooting 51.5% on field goals, 43.5% on 3-pointers, and 86.8% on free throws. He is tied for the NWC lead in 3-point shooting and leads the NWC in free throw shooting.
Ryder Hsiung (So., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) added 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Bearcats against George Fox. Levi Basurto (Fy., W, Lahaina, HI/Maui Preparatory Academy) also registered a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards. Terry Sherman (So., F, Lake Charles, LA/St. Louis Catholic HS) scored eight points and Kenny Wright Jr. (Jr., G, Dallas, TX/R.L. Turner HS) provided four assists.
"It was a fantastic college basketball game. Great pace, big shot-making on both sides, and non-stop energy," Willamette Head Men's Basketball Coach Kip Ioane commented. "Obviously I'm disappointed we came up on the short end late, but our guys battled down to the wire."
Chris Nickelberry tallied 21 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and was credited with six assists and two steals for George Fox. Kade Sorenson chipped in 19 points for the Bruins, while Austin Clark and James Moore each scored 13 points. Moore also latched onto a team-high eight rebounds.
GFU improved to 5-13 overall, 4-5 in the NWC. Willamette ended the game at 5-12, 1-8 in the NWC. The Bearcats will play at Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. (PST).
The first half was highlighted by three ties and seven lead changes. WU led early at 5-0 on a 3-pointer by Hsiung and at 7-3 on a layup by Sherman. A 3-pointer from Adam Damian and a pair of free throws by Nickelberry moved the Bruins in front at 8-7 with 17:16 remaining. The Bruins took a 13-9 lead a bit later on a 3-pointer by Kade Sorenson, but Boydell answered with a 3-pointer for Willamette to cut the margin to a single point. GFU edged out to a 29-18 lead following a 3-point basket by Clark at the 9:46 mark.
Willamette pulled within 29-24 on a free throw by Boydell with 7:55 to play. Sorenson tacked on a 3-pointer for the Bruins, but Willamette countered with an 8-2 surge to reduce the lead to 34-32 on a 3-pointer by Basurto with 5:18 left. The score stayed close for the rest of the half. WU grabbed a 38-36 lead on two free throws by Boydell with 2:04 on the clock and later held a 41-39 advantage after Hsiung put through a 3-pointer with 32 seconds to go. Clark added a 3-pointer for GFU with two seconds left, giving the Bruins a 42-41 lead.
There were four more lead changes and one tie in the second half. Nickelberry hit a layup for the Bruins to open the second half, but WU scored the next four points on a jumper by Jordan Pearce (Jr. F, Meridian, ID/Meridian HS) and a layup from Wright Jr. to move in front, 45-44, with 18:35 remaining. The last three lead changes happened during the next minute, leaving GFU with a slim 48-47 lead after Damian sank two of three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point shot.
Damian's free throws sparked a 9-0 run as George Fox built a 55-47 margin with 15:21 left. The GFU lead reached 59-49 on a pair of free throws by Damian at the 14:00 mark. The Bearcats reduced the deficit to 61-58 when Mitch Lind (Fy., G, Midway, UT/Wasatch HS) hit a turn-around jump shot as the clock reached 11:35 to go.
GFU regained a 10-point lead at 74-64 with less than nine minutes to play. WU added a 3-pointer by Boydell, but the Bruins eventually claimed an 88-74 advantage.
The Bearcats challenged George Fox in the final minutes, putting together a strong comeback that started with a layup by Hsiung with 4:27 left. Each team added a 3-pointer before Willamette scored eight unanswered points to pull within 91-87. Sorenson provided the Bruins with a layup with 1:18 remaining, but Boydell moved the Bearcats as close as 93-90 when he sank a 3-pointer 20 seconds later. After the Bruins hit 5 of 6 free throws in the final 39 seconds, Sherman scored for WU on a layup at the buzzer.
Willamette was 34 of 81 from the field (42.0%), including 12 of 29 on 3-point shots (41.4%). GFU sank 30 of 72 shots (41.7%) and made 16 of 41 three-pointers (39.0%). At the line, WU went 12 of 14 (85.7%) and GFU was 22 of 31 (71.0%). The Bruins forced WU into 18 turnovers, while George Fox lost the ball six times. WU earned a 59-37 rebounding edge.
