WALLA WALLA, Wash. – It was not the way they wanted it to end, but the George Fox University Bruins nevertheless finished with a fine 22-5 record in 2013-14, their 21st consecutive winning season, after falling 71-51 to the Whitworth University Pirates in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Tournament Friday here at the Sherwood Center.
George Fox, which came in second in the Northwest Conference regular season at 13-3, was ranked 14th in the nation entering the NCAA playoffs, but fell victim to the 24th-ranked Pirates for the second week in a row as the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee inexplicably paired two teams from the same conference in the opening round for the first time in over a decade. The Bruins were making their 10th post-season appearance in 15 years of NCAA eligibility, and are now 23-9 overall in those appearances.
Whitworth (21-7) will play West Regional host Whitman College (27-1), a 106-51 winner over Chapman University (21-7), Saturday here at 7:00 p.m. for the right to advance to a sectional and the 'Sweet 16'.
Whitworth maintained a lead for the first 14 minutes of the game, though the Pirates were never able to get more than six points ahead of the Bruins during that time. George Fox took its first lead when Hayley Cusick capped a 7-0 run with a jumper to make it 18-17 with 5:43 left in the half, and they twice led by as many as three points, at 24-21 on a layup by Jordyn Peacock and at 26-23 on another Cusick jumper. The Pirates took a 28-26 lead into the locker room following a pair of Kayla Johnson free throws just before the end of the half.
Megan Arnoldy hit a jumper to open the second half as the Bruins tied it again 28-28, but a three-pointer and layup by Lexie Zappone and a layup by K.C. McConnell gave the Pirates a 35-28 lead and they never trailed again. The Bruins got within two twice, the last at 37-35 on a Dacia Heckendorf putback with 16:20 left, and they were still only five down at 51-46 with 4:36 to go after a layup by Justine Benner. The Pirates put the game away with a closing 20-5 run, however, hitting 13 of 14 free throws in the final 2:23.
Cusick led the Bruins with 13 points, hitting 6-9 from the field, and Jami Roos added 12. Roos and Peacock had five rebounds apiece as the Bruins controlled the backboards 34-26. Johnson was the only Pirate in double figures with a game-high 27 points, and made it a double-double with 10 rebounds.
It was the final game for Bruin seniors Cusick, Arnoldy, McKenzie Wolfe, and Kylee Parker. Cusick and Arnoldy, four-year starters for the Bruins, finished with 832 and 978 career points respectively. Cusick ranks third all-time in steals with 238 and seventh in assists with 275, while Arnoldy ranks sixth in career field goal percentage (.502, 391-779).