TACOMA, Wash. – When he returned to the team after a pre-season shoulder injury, LeMar Anglin (Sr., Chicago, Ill.) was unable to hit a free throw. The senior forward went just 4 of 10 from the line in a close 96-89 loss to Corban on Nov. 20.
On Friday night, Anglin not only hit free throws all night, but he hit them when the Boxers needed them most. His two free throws with 1.4 seconds to go to lead the Boxers to a 65-63 victory over Pacific Lutheran in Pacific's Northwest Conference men's basketball opener at Olson Auditorium.
Anglin had another banner night for the Boxers (2-3, 1-0 NWC). In addition to his 11 of 13 from the charity stripe, Anglin hit 9 of 14 from the field to finish with a Pacific season high 29 points. Adam McElwee (So., Woodinville, Wash.) added 14 points as Pacific hit 47.9 percent from the field (23-48) and 81 percent from the free throw line (17-21).
Victor Bull led PLU (1-4, 0-1 NWC) with 12 points, connecting on 6 of 10 from the field. Andrew Earnest added 10 points as the Lutes shot 39.4 percent from the field (25-64). The Lutes managed just 3 of 22 from three-point range and 10 of 18 from the free throw line.
Both Pacific and PLU gave fans a close and exciting game for the entire 40 minutes. No sooner had Pacific built a five-point lead on Anglin's jumper three minutes into the contest did the Lutes come right back and go up three themselves on Bull's lay-in at the 14:08 mark. PLU held on to a slim lead for the next six minutes before the Boxers went back up one on McElwee's trey with 8:54 to go.
The Lutes came back again to open up a five-point edge when Kole Podowicz hit a lay-in with 3:08 left in the stanza. Pacific came back to go ahead three on a three-point by Anglin with nine seconds left, but Kyle MacTaggart hit a running three-pointer as time expired to tie the game at halftime at 38-38.
Pacific took early command in the second half, going up eight points on a McElwee three-pointer six minutes into the stanza. The Boxers built their largest lead of 10 points, 54-44, on a Cameron Hayes (Fr., Milton,Wash.) jumper halfway through the period. Earnest hit a three on the next possession, which started a 13-3 run over the next seven minutes that allowed the Lutes to tie it at 57-57 with 3:19 left.
The two teams traded leads four times down the stretch. The game was tied 63-63 with 1:09 left and appeared to be headed to overtime when MacTaggart fouled Anglin with 1.4 seconds to go. Anglin proceeded to hit both free throws to secure the win.
Pacific will aim to finish the weekend perfect when they travel across town to face Puget Sound. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.