FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Corban neutralized a hot Pacific start with steady shooting from the three-point and free throw lines Saturday night as the Warriors downed the Boxers 96-89 in men's basketball action at the Stoller Center.
The Warriors (5-0) maintained their unblemished start to the season by shooting 33.3 percent from three-point range (10-30) and burying 28 of 36 from the free throw line. While the Boxers (0-2) shot 52.2 percent from the field (35-67), Pacific managed just 14 of 26 from the charity stripe and 5 of 23 from long range. Pacific was also out-rebounded by the Warriors 40-33.
Adam McElwee (So., Woodinville, Wash.) led Pacific in scoring for the second straight night, putting in 21 points on 8 of 15 from the field. Colin Wester (So., Sherwood, Ore.) added 19 points while LeMar Anglin (Sr., Chicago, Ill.) returned from a shoulder injury to notch a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Eric Cronrath led six Corban players to score in double figures with 19 points on 5 of 8 from the field and 9 of 9 from the free throw line. Jordan Carter added a double-double of 16 points, Josiah Sebens scored 14 and Ian Logan had 13. Corban finished shooting 47.5 percent from the field (29-61).
Pacific roared out of the gate to take an 8-0 lead two minutes into the game, but the Warriors charged right back to take an 11-10 lead at the 16:06 mark. The Boxers battled right back, going on an 11-2 run that culminated on Wester's lay-in at the 14:25 mark to put the Boxers up 21-13.
Jake Maurermann responded with a three-pointer on the Warriors' next possession that started a slow 20-6 run over the next eight minutes. A three-point play by Cronrath capped the run to put the Warriors ahead 33-27. Pacific managed to cut the lead to two on jumpers by Wester and Carson Bartlett (Jr., St. Helens, Ore.), but the Warriors rode the back of Cronrath to build a 10-point lead in the half and went into the locker room with a 46-30 advantage.
Corban opened their lead up to 12 points early in the second half before the Boxers rallied to come within 54-47 on a McElwee jumper at the 17:30 mark. The Warriors stayed on the mark, building their lead back to 13 on Seben's trey with 13:53 left. Corban eventually took their biggest lead of 16 points on a free throw by Carter with 5:56 left.
The Boxers made a valiant run for the lead late in the contest. Andrew Beatty's (Jr., Lynnwood, Wash.) jumper with 5:44 left sparked a 15-4 Pacific run over the next four minutes and Wester's trey with 1:07 left brought the Boxers within five at 89-84. The Boxers found themselves needed to foul to gain possessions, however, and the Warriors sewed the game up by hitting 7 of 8 from the charity stripe the rest of the way.
Pacific takes to the road for their next five games, which will include their first four contests against NCAA Division III competition. The Boxers return to the floor next Friday as they take on No. 5 (D3Hoops.com) ranked Carthage at the Surf's Up Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Corban plays their third straight game against Northwest Conference schools on Tuesday when they host Linfield.