NEWBERG, Ore. – Sean Atkins became the 35th player in George Fox University history to reach 1,000 career points and the Bruins seized momentum with a 10-0 run to open the second half, then built on it for an 80-68 win over the Pacific University Boxers in Northwest Conference men's basketball Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
After Daniel Zitani's two layups gave the Boxers an early 4-0 lead, Jason Martin drove in for the Bruins, but the visitors took off on a 10-0 streak, capped by a Mitch Wettig three-pointer, for a 14-2 lead six minutes in. The Bruins finally got going with an 8-0 run over the next four minutes, A.J. Grant driving in for two baskets, to cut the deficit to 14-10. A three by Eric Moore pushed the Pacific lead back to 17-10, but that was their largest lead the rest of the game.
George Fox never led in the opening period, but got within two points four times, and once got it down to one at 31-30 on a three by Spencer Bolte with 1:09 left. Zitani's jumper and a drive by Coby Proctor with a second left made it 35-30 Boxers at the intermission.
Baskets by Bolte, Seth Brent, and Martin gave the Bruins their first lead of 36-30 a minute-and-a-half into the second period, and Atkins and Bolte added layups to make it 40-30 before the Boxers broke their drought with a layup by Zitani at the 17:02 mark. George Fox never trailed again, and maintained its lead by shooting .588 (20-34) from the field in the half.
The Bruin advantage finally hit double digits on an Atkins steal and layup that made it 58-47 with 10:56 to play and gave the George Fox senior 1,001 points. The Boxers got no closer than nine points thereafter. The Bruins' largest lead was 15 points at 79-64 on an Atkins free throw with 1:55 left.
Atkins finished with a team-high 19 points, 15 in the second half, along with nine rebounds, narrowly missing his second straight double-double, four assists and five steals. He now has 1,009 points in his four years with the Bruins and moved past Mike Rasmussen (1,004, 1989-93) into 34th on the all-time list. Bolte added 16 points, Martin 13, and Grant 11. The Bruins shot .492 (32-65) for the game, including .364 (8-22) on threes, and held a 37-34 edge in rebounds while making only eight turnovers.
Zitani was the only Boxer in double figures with a game-high 30 and had a double-double with 11 rebounds. Pacific shot .453 (24-53) for the game and .444 (8-18) from beyond the arc. Proctor had three assists and Riley Grandinetti made two steals.
Both teams are now 9-4 overall and 2-2 in the conference.
NEXT: George Fox hosts the eastern Washington teams next weekend, starting with Whitworth University Friday at 8:00 p.m. The women's game will precede the men's game 6:00 p.m. … Pacific goes to Lewis & Clark College Friday for another NWC doubleheader, with tip-offs at 6:00 and 8:00 p.m.