FOREST GROVE, Ore. – A strong second half shooting performance allowed Holy Names to break open a close contest in the final minutes and hand Pacific a 97-89 loss Saturday in men's basketball action at the Stoller Center.
Despite leading by as many as 12 points early in the opening half, the Boxers (2-6) saw it become a close contest and owned just a three-point lead at halftime. The Hawks (5-9) shot 67 percent in the second half and hit seven three-pointers, which allowed them to take the lead for good at the 9:17 mark and build as much as a nine-point advantage down the stretch.
Adam McElwee (So., Woodinville, Wash.) led Pacific with 21 points, which included four three-pointers, to go along with six rebounds and four assists. LeMar Anglin (Sr., Chicago, Ill.) came off the bench to score 18 points, including 10 of 12 from the free throw line, and nine rebounds. Carson Bartlett (Jr., St. Helens, Ore.) also had 18 points and Colin Wester (So., Sherwood, Ore.) added 17 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
As a team, the Boxers shot 40.7 percent from the field (24-59), 35 percent from three-point range (7-20) and connected on 34 of 42 from the free throw line. Pacific won the rebounding battle 39-36, but turned the ball over 21 times.
Simba Gwanyanya came off the bench to lead Holy Names, NAIA Division II members of the California Pacific Conference, with 22 points, connecting on 7 of 8 from the field and 6 of 6 from the free throw line. Obie Woods was the only Hawks' starter in double figures with 13, but the remaining four in the lineup each scored nine. Holy Names shot 50.8 percent from the field (31-61) for the contest and 9 of 24 from three-point range.
Starting with a smaller and markedly different look, the Boxers opened the game by scoring the first nine points, including five off the hands of Wester. Pacific eventually opened up their largest advantage of 12 on a McElwee lay-in at the 15:55 mark. The lead was 11 points with seven minutes gone in the stanza when Zac Sewistsky connected on a jumper that started a 14-2 Holy Names run, allowing the Hawks their first lead on a David Scott jumper at the midway point.
The Hawks never built more than a three-point lead, and the Boxers moved back on top on a pair of Anglin free throws at the 5:13 mark. Pacific eventually moved the lead back up to three points and carried the narrow 43-40 advantage into the half.
The opening minutes of the second half proved to be just as close. Neither team built more than a three-point edge until a pair of McElwee free throws put the Boxers up five midway through the frame. Holy Names charged back to score 10 of the next 12 points and went ahead for good on Wood's trey with 9:17 to go.
Pacific kept the lead close until a jumper by Antoine McKlinzie put the Hawks up seven at 81-74. The Boxers managed to come back within three points twice, the last on a pair of Wester free throws with 48 seconds to go, but 7 of 8 made from the stripe in that span allowed the Hawks to secure the win.
The game proved to be as physical as it was close. A total of 55 fouls were called on the two teams with a total of three players fouling out. Both head coaches were whistled for technical fouls.
Pacific will take to the road for their final two games of the 2010 calendar year and the final three of their non-conference schedule. The Boxers are back in action on Monday when they face Evergreen State in Olympia, Wash. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.