ORANGE, Calif. – Pushing 22nd-ranked Chapman University to the limit, the George Fox University Bruins came up just short in a 64-60 loss to the Panthers to conclude their three-game swing through southern California and the non-conference portion of their schedule on New Year's Eve here at the Hutton Center.
Neither team could gain an upper hand through the first seven-and-a-half minutes as there were five lead changes and four ties during that time, with no lead of more than two points. Chapman broke an 11-11 tie with a three-pointer and then one of two free throws by Griffin Ramme, but the Bruins got back-to-back buckets by Stephen Wiseley and Matt Zandbergen to forge a fifth tie at 15-15 with 9:44 to go in the half.
Ben Ricard broke the game's last tie with a jumper at 8:03 and Takeshi Clifford followed with a three-pointer, sparking a 15-4 run over a six-minute period that gave the home team a 30-19 advantage with 2:44 left in the period. Undaunted, the Bruins responded with a Mike Taylor long-range three, a jumper plus one by Wiseley, and a basket by Rich Smith with 37 seconds left that cut the deficit to 30-27, which was the halftime score.
The Bruins missed six of their first seven shots as the Panthers stretched their lead to eight at 37-29 four minutes into the second half, but Cole Whitehurst, Taylor, and Davis Martin each scored goals to draw the visitors within a pair at 37-35 with 14:39 left. A basket and free throw by Wiseley at 12:07 made it 41-40 Chapman before Clifford canned a three, starting a 17-9 run that pushed the Panther lead back to nine at 58-49 with 4:43 remaining.
Smith started the Bruins' final comeback drive with a three-pointer, and following a Riley jumper for a 60-52 Panther lead, Taylor hit a shot, Smith got a rebound basket, and Martin scored to make it a two-point game at 60-58 with 51 seconds to play. After a Panther turnover, Wiseley had a jump shot for the tie with 30 seconds left but missed and Riley rebounded, then was fouled and hit both free throws with 25 seconds to go for a 62-58 lead. Smith cut the margin to 62-60 with a pair of freebies with 14 ticks left, but Max Piner pulled the Panthers through with two more charity tosses a second later that proved to be enough.
Smith led the Bruins with 17 points and 12 rebounds, his second double-double of the season and eighth of his career. Wiseley added 15 points and Taylor scored 13. Wiseley and Martin passed out three assists apiece. The Bruins stayed in the game by committing only six turnovers, one short of their team record for fewest turnovers of five against Whitman on Jan. 3, 2003.
Riley paced the Panthers with 15 points, Ramme scored 11, and Jon Consani had 10. Riley had a team-high nine rebounds as Chapman held a 37-31 edge on the boards. Brandon Lin handed out four assists.
NEXT: George Fox (3-8), which finished 2-7 against non-conference competition, returns to Northwest Conference action Friday, Jan. 7, with an 8:00 p.m. game at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. The men's game will be preceded by the NWC women's game at 6:00 p.m. ... Chapman (12-1) takes a 10-game winning streak into its next game at California Lutheran University Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.