FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Pacific looked sharp in its exhibition matchup to start the season, taking down Montana Western 64-60 behind some excellent defense and efficient offense.
The Boxers build a 27-point lead in the third quarter but were forced to fend off a ferocious surge from the Bulldogs, who cut the deficit to just three points with a minute left. Pacific held on, however, to take down the NAIA opponents.
The defense was menacing from the Red and Black, holding their opponents to 24.1% from the field (7-of-29) in the first half.
Top Performers
- Brilie Kovaloff led the Boxers offensively with a game-high 20 points on a very efficient 8-of-10 from the field. She hit 2-of-3 three pointers and handed out four assists.
- Emily Holsan was fantastic off the bench, pouring in 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting with three triples.
- Alexis Intong was dominant on the glass with a team-high nine rebounds and also chipped in with four points.
- Rilee Price also reached double-digits with 14 points.
How It Happened
Price got things started for the Boxers in the early minutes with two quick baskets and Kovaloff followed by nailing a triple of her own to give her team an early 11-4 advantage. The duo continued to heat up when Kovaloff converted a runner in the lane before Price drained her second three of the contest to extend the lead, making it a 17-4 scoring run for the hosts. Nine Boxers saw the floor in the opening 10 minutes and this team effort equated to a 22-6 lead after one period. The Pacific defense was outstanding in the first quarter, holding Montana Western to 2-of-16 from the floor.
Holsan enjoyed a nice start to the game by knocking down her first three field goal attempts, including a three pointer. The Boxers would then enter a scoring drought just over two minutes but Kovaloff got the hosts back on track with a nice turnaround jumper to extend the lead to 17 points. Holsan found the bottom of the net with a three-pointer at the buzzer, making the score 35-17 at halftime.
Madison Dunlop got in on the action by drilling a three-ball from the corner to open the second half. The Boxers started the third quarter on an 8-2 run as Intong and Kovaloff added back-to-back jumpers to force a Montana Western timeout.
The teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the third quarter but Kovaloff's second three-pointer of the night allowed the hosts to start pulling away. After three quarters of play, the Boxers held a 54-32 advantage.
The Bulldogs started to claw their way back into the game by starting the final period on a 13-0 run. Pacific couldn't find the shooting touch as the hosts missed six straight shots to start the fourth. Price finally ended the drought with a three-pointer to keep Montana Western at bay. However, the Bulldogs continued to close the gap with an 11-0 run, making it a three-point game.
Holsan answered with a massive triple from the corner to extend the lead to six and Kovaloff showed some fight on the defensive end by taking a charge in a momentum-swinging play for the Boxers. Pacific was out-scored 28-10 in the last 10 minutes but managed to hang on, despite the chaotic ending, by the final score 64-60.
By The Numbers
- Pacific scored 26 points in the paint 12 points off turnovers.
- Montana Western was 12-of-19 from the field in the fourth quarter.
- The Bulldogs were just 5-of-20 from beyond the arc.
Up Next
Pacific officially begins its season on Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. when Pomona-Pitzer comes to Forest Grove.
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