FOREST GROVE – Pacific found themselves once again lacking for answers against a fast paced, hot shooting team Saturday as Pacific Lutheran shot 57.1 percent from the field in a 87-57 victory over the Boxers in Northwest Conference men's basketball action at the Stoller Center.
The Lutes (12-6, 7-3 NWC) hit 32 of 56 from the field and also came alive for 7 of 16 from three-point range and blistered the nets for 19 of 30 in the first half alone. The Lutes were also effective at the free throw line, hitting 16 of 23, and outrebounded the Boxers 35-26.
Pacific (3-14, 2-8 NWC) managed a reasonable 42.6 percent from the field (23-54), but turned the ball over 19 times and eight times in the first 10 minutes of the game. Colin Wester (So., Sherwood, Ore.) led Pacific with 13 points while Andrew Beatty (Jr., Lynnwood, Wash.) added 10.
Andrew Earnest led all scorers with 17 points for PLU, connecting on 7 of 11 from the field and 3 of 5 from three-point range. Kyle MacTaggart scored 15, Victor Bull connected for 13 points to go along with eight rebounds and Cameron Shilling added 14.
The Lutes put together than fast-paced game early, while the Boxers found it hard to find the bucket. After Beatty's three-pointer put the Boxers up 5-4 three minutes in, Pacific wouldn't score again for another seven minutes. The drought allowed the Lutes to go on an 18-0 run, which culminated on a Schilling lay-in to give PLU a 22-5 lead at the 12:14 mark.
Earnest extended the lead to 21 points when his trey made it 28-7 with 8:56 to go. The Boxers managed to come back within 13 points on LeMar Anglin's (Sr., Chicago, Ill.) lay-in with 5:03 left, but MacTaggart fueled a run that put the Lutes back up by 21 en-route to a 45-26 halftime lead.
PLU kept the hot hand in the second half, going up 65-34 on a three-pointer from Tony Polis at the 13:06 mark. Wester then started a short 7-0 run that brought the Boxers within 24 points, 66-42, with 10:12 left, but the Lutes went back on a tear as the Lutes went up by as much by 33 points with 3:17 to go.
Pacific will conclude their three-game home stand on Friday night with the Boxers hosting George Fox. PLU returns home and will host Whitman on Friday. Both games tip-off at 8 p.m.