John Rigatti would hit the game-winning layup with seven seconds remaining to give the Pacific men's basketball team a 113-111 win over host Willamette on Tuesday night in Salem.
 
The first half saw the Boxers (9-13, 3-10 NWC) light it up from behind the arc hitting 53% (16-for-30) of their three-point attempts and hold the Bearcats to just 30 percent.
 
Davis Holly got things started for the Boxers, who were looking to snap a four-game losing streak. He would lead the charge in the first half, going 5-7 from deep and finishing with 15 first half points as the Boxers went into the half trailing 64-63. The one-point deficit would be the smallest margin for the Boxers since they led by five in its last win against Lewis & Clark on January 19.
 
In the second half, Holly's teammates Gage Shelmidine and Marcus Wallace would pick up where he left off, adding 12 and 10 points in the final 20 minutes.
 
The game then saw Willamette and Pacific go back and forth for the final nine minutes after the Boxers trailed 94-89, the largest lead for either team going down the stretch.
 
Facing the five-point deficit, Shelmidine knocked down a three and a pair of Rigatti free throws tied the game at 94. Then, three lead changes and three ties later, Willamette answered a go ahead 3-pointer by Holly with a layup to tie the game at 111 with 29 seconds remaining.
 
The Boxers' veteran head coach Justin Lunt used a time-out to set up the play which proved to be the game winner.  With seven seconds remaining Rigatti's layup put Pacific ahead two. Then, following a Bearcats' timeout and solid defensive effort by the Boxers kept the Bearcats off the scoreboard and send the visitors home with the road victory.
 
The Boxers' Shelmidine and Rigatti both finished with 16 points, Wallace finished with 14, and Joseph Ceballos-Espetia added 11 and Jared Cattell added 10 from the bench. In the win, Pacific shot a season-best 55.3% from the field and had six players in double figures for the first time since Nov. 25, 2017 versus Multnomah.
 
Boxers are back for its next three games including a contest on Friday night against Pacific Lutheran for Jersey Night. Fans are encouraged to wear the jersey of their favorite player.