Boxers Beat Bearcats With Big Second Half
Summary:
Men's Basketball: Win : 70-62 | Stats
A 62 percent second half shooting performance and a 22-point effort by A.J. Gaulton lift Pacific to a 70-62 men's basketball victory over Willamette in the Boxers' first home game in 45 games
FOREST GROVE - A 62 percent shooting performance in the second half, paced by a 22-point performance by A.J. Gaulton (Jr., Pleasant Hill, Ore., pictured) lifted Pacific to a 70-62 victory over Willamette in the Boxers' Northwest Conference men's basketball home opener at the Pacific Athletic Center.
The Boxers (7-6, 2-3 NWC) shot 13 of 21 from the field in the final 20 minutes, which included a 5 of 9 performance from the three-point line, to win their second game in a row and their 10th straight at home dating back to the 2007-08 season. It was Pacific's first game at home since an 81-68 victory over Portland Bible on Dec. 2.
Gaulton led the way with a game-high 22 points, connecting on 7 of 16 from the field, 3 of 6 from three-point range and 5 of 5 from the free throw line to go along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Garold Howe (Sr., Salem, Ore.) added 19 points with a block and three steals. For the game, Pacific shot 44.1 percent (26-59) from the field and 42.9 percent (9-21) from the arc.
Corey Costantino led the Bearcats (7-5, 3-2 NWC) with 16 points on 6 of 8 from the field, while Cameron Mitchell added a double-double of 12 points and 16 rebounds. The Bearcats shot 38.9 percent (21-54) from the field and 8 of 19 from outside. The loss was Willamette's third straight in Forest Grove and their fourth in the last five years.
Despite shooting 50 percent from the field, Willamette found themselves unable to pull ahead of the Boxers by the end of the first half. Pacific held an early 11-6 lead on Randy Bolick's (Jr., Pleasant Grove, Utah) lay-in five minutes in, but Kyler McClary sparked a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to take an 16-11 lead at the 12:45 mark. The teams traded leads five more times and saw the game tied 29-29 before buckets by Gaulton and Jordan Carter (Fr., Lake Stevens, Wash.) gave Pacific a 33-30 halftime lead.
Pacific went for the dagger early in the second half as Gaulton, Howe and Micah Mooney (Sr., Junction City, Ore.) hit back-to-back-to-back treys to balloon the lead to 42-30 just three minutes into the period. Willamette responded by hitting the next seven points in a row, including four from Mitchell, to close the lead to 42-37 with 14:42 to go.
Willamette stayed closed until Bolick's lay-in with 10:01 remaining opened a 9-0 run that put Pacific ahead 63-49 with 5:26 to go. It was then that Pacific hit a cold spell of their own, going scoreless over the next four minutes and allowed the Bearcats to come within five, 65-60, on a three-pointer by Josh Erickson with 2:24 to go. Willamette did not hit another field goal and made just two more free throws in the final two minutes to allow the Boxers to hold on for the win.
Pacific forced Willamette into 17 turnovers and had 11 steals and out-rebounded the Bearcats 38-35.
Pacific travels to Puget Sound on Friday before enjoying a four-game home stand, which begins next Saturday against Linfield. Willamette continues play this Saturday, traveling to Lewis & Clark.
Posted by Blake Timm (timmbr@pacificu.edu) on Jan 16, 2009 at 11:34 PM
