Boxers Struggle Offensively In Loss To Deacons
Box Score
EUGENE, Ore. – Just 10 days after earning a 12-point victory over New Hope Christian at home, Pacific struggled to put it's offense together in the return game as the Deacons rolled to a 66-38 victory Thursday in men's basketball action at the Rexius Event Center.
The Boxers (7-4) managed just 25.9 percent from the field (15-58) for the game and 2 of 17 from the three-point line. They were limited in ample opportunities at the free throw line, hitting just 6 of 16 for the contest. Pacific shot 24 percent in the final 20 minutes and were outscored 20-4 over the first eight and a half minutes of the frame.
New Hope Christian (3-15) picked up their third win of the season with solid second half shooting, connecting on 55 percent (12-22) in the period. The Deacons shot 43.5 percent for the game (20-46), including 6 of 14 from long range, and an impressive 20 of 23 from the free throw line.
Dustin Bowser (Jr., Bellingham, Wash.) was the only Pacific player to crack double figures, scoring 10 points to go along with a team-high nine rebounds. Harley Tuner led New Hope with 16 points while Forest Stolk put up an impressive double-double of 12 points and 18 rebounds.
What started as a close contest went New Hope Christian's way over the final 10 minutes of the first half. Pacific held a 6-2 lead on Bowser's lay-in at the 15:13 mark before the Deacons took the lead for good with a 14-2 run over the next 10 minutes of the game. Corey Gantt scored all six of points of the game to pace the run and Stolk's lay-in with 5:13 to go gave the Deacons an 18-8 advantage.
The two teams traded baskets before the Deacons closed the period on a 6-2 run over the final four minutes. Stolk hit two free throws with 21 seconds left to give New Hope their largest lead of the half at 13 points before a field goal by
Robby Babek (Sr., Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) brought Pacific within 26-15 at the break.
New Hope put the game away over the first eight minutes of the second half, limiting Pacific to just two made shots while going on a 20-4 run. Quincy Alexander made it a 21-point game with his three-pointer five minutes into the stanza, while Tuner capped the surge with his bucket with 11:35 to go.
Pacific found their shooting touch in the middle minutes, cutting the deficit to 46-29 on
Marc Eppinger's (Fr., Hermiston, Ore.) with 8:40 left, but the Boxers would score just three more field goals and nine more points the rest of the way. The Deacons took their largest lead of the game with 2:41 left when two Wes Smith free throws made it 64-33.
Thursday's game was the last non-conference contest on the Pacific schedule. The Boxers return to Northwest Conference play on Friday when they travel to Willamette. Pacific returns home on Saturday, hosting George Fox.
