SPOKANE, Wash. – The Pacific University women's basketball team extended their win streak to five games and remained undefeated in Northwest Conference (NWC) play with their 67-57 win over Whitworth.
 
It was a tale of two halves for the Pacific offense. The Boxers (9-3, 3-0 NWC) put on a masterful shooting display in the first quarter, shooting over 70% from the field to build a sizable lead. Pacific was excellent on the defensive end as well, holding the Pirates scoreless for over eight minutes in the second period. However, the Boxers would cool off in the second half, going just 10-of-31 (32%) from the field and 3-of-15 from three-point range 
 
Whitworth (5-7, 0-3 NWC) were held to just 23 points in the first half and less than 40% from the floor (21-53). Olivia Mayer would lead the Pirates with 19 points and eight rebounds.
 
Brilie Kovaloff (Junior/Honolulu, HI) carried majority of the load with a team-high 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting while going 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Sydney Gray (Junior/Central Point, OR) had a fantastic game with 16 points, going 7-of-12 from the floor with two three-pointers. The Central Point native nearly reached a double-double with nine rebounds to lead the team.
 
Rilee Price (Junior/Brea, CA) put in another great performance with 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Camy Aguinaldo (Senior/Honolulu, HI) chipped in with nine points before leaving the game due to injury in the third quarter.
 
 
How It Happened
 
Gray opened the scoring for the Boxers after pulling down an offensive rebound and going back up with a strong layup inside. Price would follow by knocking down a deep three-ball from the wing to give the Boxers an early lead. Pacific would begin to heat up in the opening period as Kovaloff would hit a runner in the paint before nailing her first three-point attempt of the afternoon. The Boxers would force a timeout from the hosts after Gray found the bottom of the net from beyond the arc, giving her team a 13-4 advantage.
 
Right after the timeout, Aguinaldo would get on the scoresheet by finishing a tough runner over three Whitworth defenders. Emily Holsan (Freshman/Sammamish, WA) then checked into the contest and immediately buried a three to extend the lead. With her second three-pointer in the opening 10 minutes, Kovaloff would reach double figures as she would pace the Boxer offense. Pacific shot the lights out in the first quarter, posting a field-goal percentage of 73.3% (11-15) while going 6-of-9 from three-point range to grab a 28-15 lead.
 
The Pirates showed some life in the second quarter by opening with a 6-0 run. Aguinaldo ended the short scoring drought by hitting her only three-pointer of the day, sparking a 15-2 run in favor of the Boxers.
 
Pacific weren't quite as prolific on the offensive end of the floor in the second period, but they would make up for it on the defensive side by holding Whitworth scoreless for over eight minutes to close out the half. This allowed the Boxers to take a 43-20 lead into the break.
 
Gray kept the momentum on the Pacific end by making a deep triple on their first possession of the second half. The Pirates were able to find some rhythm offensively by making five of their next six field-goal attempts, but the Boxers were able to trade baskets with the hosts to maintain a healthy lead. 
 
The Red and Black would have to endure a scoring drought of their own towards the end of the third quarter as they would go scoreless for over five minutes. Pacific was 1-for-10 over this span but they would still manage to hold a 55-42 lead going into the final period.
 
The scoring drought extended into the fourth quarter until Kovaloff scored a layup off an inbounds pass to get the Boxers back on track. After a wild sequence involving multiple turnovers from both teams, Kovaloff knocked down a three from the corner to force a Whitworth timeout, pushing the lead to 62-46.
 
With just over two minutes remaining, Kovaloff found Gray cutting to the basket for an easy layup to make the score 65-50. Madison Dunlop (Sophomore/Palmer, AK) put the finishing touches on the victory with a layup in transition to clinch the Boxers' fifth consecutive win.
 
By The Numbers
 

• The Boxers narrowly won the rebounding battle 37-36.
• Pacific scored 34 points in the paint.
• Whitworth shot 21 free throws in the contest while Pacific shot just five.

 
 
Up Next
 
The Boxers look to stay undefeated in conference competition when they head to McMinnville on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. to face Linfield 
 
For the latest information on Pacific Athletics, make sure to check out GoBoxers.com. You can also find the Boxers on social media at @GoBoxers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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