Box Score | Coach Cleary's Postgame Comments

PORTLAND – Danny Brakebush (Fr., Portland, Ore.) led the way for Pacific Friday night as they showed glimpses of the potential that the Boxers have for an improved season in a 77-58 loss to Division I Portland State in men's basketball action at the Stott Center.
 
Brakebush, playing in his first game for the Boxers after a standout career at Central Catholic High School, came off the bench to lead all scorers with 19 points, connecting on 8 of 10 from the field and 3 of 5 from three-point range.
 
Pacific never trailed by more than 19 points, with the exception of a late 22-point for the Vikings with less than a minute to go.  The Boxers found themselves within two points, 22-20, with 5:38 left guard Dre Winston keyed a 17-8 run for the Vikings over the final five minutes of the first half that proved to be the difference in the game.
 
The Vikings padded the lead in the second half, outscoring 38-30 in the final 20 minutes for the victory.  The game was the official season opener for Division I Portland State (1-0), while the game is counted as an exhibition contest for the Boxers.
 
Head Coach Tim Cleary was pleased with the effort he saw from the Boxers against a big time team.  "The emphasis coming into this game was to compete at as high of a level as we could," he said.  "Anytime you play a team the caliber of Portland State you know it will be a challenge, and I was pleased with the way our guys competed.  It was an outstanding effort."
 
Dustin Bowser (Sr., Bellingham, Wash.) led Pacific's starters with nine points and five rebounds.  Colin Wester (Sr., Sherwood, Ore.) added eight points.  Pacific finished the night shooting 41.7 percent from the field (20-48) and made 12 of 15 from the free throw line, but committed 22 turnovers in the contest.
 
Winston led the Vikings with 16 points, connecting on 5 of 6 from the field and 3 of 4 from both the three-point and free throw lines.  Aaron Moore added 13 points and Michael Harthun scored 11 while Renado Parker pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.  The Vikings shot 56.5 percent from the field (26-46) on the evening, including 41.7 percent from three-point range.
 
Pacific kept pace early in the first half with the Vikings shooting just 28 percent over the first eight minutes. Brakebush netted the first the first points of his big night at the 14:52 mark to bring the Boxers within 6-4.  On the team's next possession, Brakebush canned the three-pointer from the right side that brought Pacific within 8-7.
 
The Vikings broke down the Pacific defense and took advantage of two fouls each to Charles Mosley (Sr., Hillsboro, Ore.) and Bowser, going on an 11-4 over the next five minutes.  Gary Winston connected on the short-range jumper with 9:46 left to make it a 19-11 Vikings' lead.  A minute later, Parker's lay-in made it 21-12 and a free throw at the 7:23 mark by Moore gave PSU the 22-12 lead.
 
Wester connected on a three-pointer with 6:36 left to start an 8-0 Pacific run that made it a two-point game.  Brakebush scored on back-to-back possessions, scoring a three-pointer at the 5:18 mark that brought the Boxers within 22-20.
 
Portland State took advantage of the size and speed mismatch late in the period, outscoring the Boxers 17-8 over the final five minutes in what proved to be the run that decided the game. Winston contributed eight points to the run, including a pair of three-pointers, while Moore's jumper with nine seconds left sent the teams into halftime with the 39-28 lead.
 
The Vikings maintained their lead early in the second half, going up 45-28 on a Lateef McMullan free throw two minutes in. A pair of Bowser free throws on the Boxers' next possession keyed an 8-2 run over the next three minutes, which culminated in a Brakebush lay-in with 14:28 to go that bought the Boxers with 11, 47-36.
 
Portland State replied with a run of their own as they scored the next eight points.  Michael Harvey closed the run with a three-point play that gave the Vikings the 55-36 advantage at the 12:31 mark.  The closest Pacific would get down rest of the way was 15 points on a Wester jumper with 6:11 to go.
 
Pacific will make the official start to the season on Friday, traveling to Newberg for a neutral site contest against NCAA Division III foe Hardin Simmons of Abilene, Texas.  Game time is 7:30 p.m.  The Boxers open the home schedule next Saturday, hosting La Verne in the Stoller Center at 7:30 p.m.