Boxers Write Off Poets Thanks To Big First H
WHITTIER, Calif. – Pacific scored a big first half performance to win the first game of their three-game southern California road trip Saturday night, knocking off Whittier 70-58 in women’s basketball action at the Graham Athletics Center.
The Boxers (2-5) rolled out to a 40-18 halftime thanks to solid shooting and a lack of prose by the Poets (4-4). Pacific shot 41.7 percent in the frame (15-36), which included six three-pointers and a perfect 4 of 4 from the free throw line. Whittier managed just six first half field goals, allowing the Boxers as much as a 24-point advantage late in the period.
The Poets managed to get in sequence in the second half, improving to 36.6 percent shooting from the field (15-41), but the comeback was too late to punctuate a comeback.
Paige Jensen (So., Bemjidi, Minn.) led the Boxers with her third double-double of the season, scoring 16 points to go along with 12 rebounds.
Brittney Anderson (Jr., Missoula, Mont.) notched her second double-double of the season, scoring 11 points with 12 rebounds.
Kandice McArthur (Jr., Post Falls, Idaho) scored all of her 14 points in the first half and
Annette Highley (Fr., Juneau, Alaska) hit for 10.
Kourtney Zilbert led Whittier with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds. Tina Merlino also had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Alex Bassett came off the bench to score 11.
Whittier hit four of their six first half field goals in the opening six minutes of the contest, but the Boxers stayed in front early thanks in part to two McArthur three-pointers and a pair of Anderson lay-ins. Pacific led 19-12 at the 10:24 mark when
Kristen Corrales’ (So., Waimanalo, Hawaii) three-pointer started a 21-6 run that closed the half.
A nine-minute drought between field goals for the Poets allowed the Boxers to build a 19-point lead on a pair of McArthur free throws and two Jensen charity shots gave the Boxers a 24-point advantage, 38-14, with 1:21 to go. The Boxers eventually with into the locker room with a 40-18 lead.
Pacific kept the heat on early in the second half, building their largest lead of 25 points on an
Ashley Jacobs’ (So., Waimanalo, Hawaii) three-pointer four minutes in. The Boxers saw their shooting cool over the final 15 minutes, but not enough to let the Poets make a game of it. Basset finally brought the Whittier under 20 points when her jumper made it 58-40 with 6:38 to go.
The Poets came within 13 points on Zilbert’s lay-in with 2:40 to go and then forced Pacific to the free throw line in an attempt to keep it close. The Boxers responded well, connecting on 10 of 16 from the foul line in the final three minutes.
Pacific closed the night shooting 40 percent from the field (22-55), 34.8 percent from three-point range (8-23) and 18 of 34 from the free throw line. The Boxers also out-rebounded the Poets 49-45. Whittier shot 29.6 percent from the field (21-71), but connected on just 4 of 22 from three-point range and 12 of 18 from the free throw line.
The Boxers continue their Southland road trip on Monday when they face Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
