Linfield 68, George Fox 65: Wildcats Pull Out Last-Minute Win Over Bruins

George Fox, which suffered its sixth straight setback, returns home to host Lewis & Clark College Friday at 6:00 PM.

Salem-News.com Sports

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - For the fourth straight Northwest Conference game, the George Fox University Bruins saw a sizeable second-half lead slip away as the Linfield College Wildcats battled back from nine points down with 13 minutes to play and pulled out a 68-65 win in a men’s basketball game between the Yamhill County rivals Saturday night here at Ted Wilson Gym.

Linfield rookie center K.C. Wiser hit a jumper and a three-point basket for a quick 5-0 lead to start the game, but the Bruins answered with a 12-1 run to go up 12-6 with 12:45 left in the half. Mark Metzler made a steal and layup and a three-pointer and Dan Lingenfelder hit a pair of baskets to spark the outburst. The Wildcats rallied for three ties before going ahead again 22-20 on a rebound bucket by Erik Olson with 5:28 left. Down by four, the Bruins closed out the half with a 10-2 run, capped by a three-point play by Matt Noble, to take a 30-26 lead into the break.

Lingenfelder had eight points for the Bruins and Wiser had nine for the Wildcats to pace their respective teams. Both defenses held sway in the period as the Bruins hit only .393 (11-28) and made 11 turnovers, while the Wildcats were only .310 (9-29) shooting and committed 10 miscues.

The Bruins stayed ahead throughout most of the second half, eventually taking a nine-point lead of 48-39 on Taylor Martin’s jumper from the left wing with 13:18 to go. The Wildcats bounced back with a 7-0 run, including a layup and a three-pointer by Brian Murphy, who had 13 second-half points, to get within two at 48-46 with 11:04 left, and the game stayed tight the rest of the way.

Linfield forged four ties, the last one on a three by Steve Taylor with 1:58 left, before taking its first lead of the half on a pair of free throws by Cody Tesoro with 1:22 remaining, making it 66-64. The Bruins’ Brent Satern hit the second of two free throws with 15 seconds left to make it a one-point game, but Taylor iced it with two free tosses with 12 seconds to go, and the Bruins could not shake free of the Wildcats’ defense to get open for a potential tying three before time expired.

Evan Atwater led the Bruins with 13 points and Satern added 10. Atwater also had a game-high seven rebounds as the Bruins out-rebounded the Wildcats 34-31. Satern handed out four assists. The Bruins hit a respectable .479 (23-48) from the field after shooting .600 (12-20) in the second half, but continued to struggle from the charity stripe, where they hit only .524 (11-21).

Murphy led all scorers with 18 points for the Wildcats, while Taylor and Wiser chipped in with 16 each. Murphy and Wiser led Linfield with four rebounds apiece, and Taylor passed out three assists. The Wildcats connected on .453 (24-53) from the field, including .625 (15-24) in the second half, and .667 (16-24) from the line.

George Fox (4-9, NWC 0-4), which suffered its sixth straight setback, returns home to host pre-season conference favorite Lewis & Clark College Friday at 6:00 PM. Linfield (8-5, NWC 3-1) hosts Willamette University Tuesday at 8:00 PM. Both games will be preceded by NWC women’s games at 6:00 PM.

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