Box Score FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Pacific University made seven of its first eight three-pointers and visiting Whitworth was never really in the game in an 89-74 loss to the Boxers in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Friday night at the Stoller Center.
The Pirates (12-6 overall, 8-1 NWC) made the first basket for their only lead of the game on the way to their first conference loss of the season. The Boxers improved to 10-8, 4-5 and ended a 12-game losing streak to Whitworth that dated to Jan. 6, 2017.
Pacific played its best half of basketball this season in the opening 20 minutes, making 19-31 (61%) from the floor, including 5-6 (83%) from three-point range. The Boxers used an early 12-1 run to open an 18-7 lead on a layup by Jake Blazona. Whitworth fought back to cut the margin to 26-22 after a three-pointer by Sullivan Menard and a layup by Stephen Behil. The Bucs got within 28-25 on another Menard trey with four minutes to go, but Pacific went on a 15-6 spurt, going up 43-31 on a three-pointer from the corner by Lucas Gray. Menard hit his fourth three-pointer of the half just before the buzzer to get Whitworth within 43-34 at the break. The Pirates committed 10 turnovers in the period.
Pacific scored the first five points of the second half and Whitworth was never able to cut the margin below double-digits the rest of the way. The Boxers stretched the margin to 61-45 on a layup by Brenden LaPierre and the lead reached 20 points (68-48) on Jake Blazona's jumper with 6:31 to go.
Menard did all he could to keep the Pirates in the game, scoring a career-high 29 points to lead all players on the floor. He hit a season-high seven three-pointers (in 19 attempts) to surpass his previous career high of 21 points. Behil made five three-pointers on the way to a season-high 14 points and Jojo Anderson scored five in the final minute of the game to reach ten points.
After making 13 of 25 (52%) from the field in the first half, the Pirates cooled off to 14-36 (39%) in the second period and finished the game 27-61 (44.3%) from the floor. Whitworth also struggled at the free throw line throughout the game, making only 9-17 (53%).
Pacific cooled off only slightly in the second half, finishing the game 32-58 (55.2%) from the field. The Boxers went 9-17 (56%) from three-point range and 16-19 (84%) at the charity stripe. Reigning NWC Player of the Week Lucas Winkler led Pacific with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Blazona added 21 points.
Whitworth will try to bounce back on Saturday when the Pirates visit Willamette University.
