Box Score

FOREST GROVE – Lewis & Clark's 17-3 run over the first five minutes of the second half put an end to Pacific's playoff hopes Tuesday night as the Pioneers used the surge to knock off the Boxers 66-53 in Northwest Conference men's basketball action at the Stoller Center.
 
The Pioneers (15-9, 9-6 NWC) hit five three-pointers in the run, which proved to be all that they needed to closed the game out in a half where both teams shot poorly.  Lewis & Clark made just nine shots from the field in the stanza, six in the first five minutes, while the Boxers made just eight.  Free throws also played a factor, with the Pioneers making 11 of 16 in the second half.
 
With the win, Lewis & Clark assured themselves of the No. 4 spot in the NWC Tournament, which begins next Thursday.  Pacific (14-10, 8-7 NWC) could still tie the Pioneers for fourth place in the league standings, but Lewis & Clark owns the tiebreaker for playoff advancement.
 
Charles Mosley (Sr., Hillsboro, Ore.) and Danny Brakebush (Fr., Portland, Ore.) led the Boxers with 10 points apiece as Pacific managed just 38.5 percent from the field (20-52) and 53.3 percent from the free throw line (8-15).  Andrew Beatty (Sr., Lynnwood, Wash.) and Budweiser Hawkins (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) each added seven while Dustin Bowser (Sr., Bellingham, Wash.) had a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
The Boxers missed the presence of Colin Wester (Sr., Sherwood, Ore.).  The reigning NWC Men's Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week did not play due to an ankle injury.
 
James Hollins led Lewis & Clark with 14 points and eight rebounds.  Dexter Pearce added 12 points and Serg Ovchinnikov scored 11.  The Pioneers finished the night shooting 39.6 percent from the field (19-48) and 71.4 percent from the free throw line (20-28).
 
The first half played out as advertised as a defensive struggle between two teams with eight lead changes and 10 ties.  Pacific held no more than a two-point lead on three occasions, the last coming on Beatty's lay-in with 7:01 to go.  L&C jumped out to a 30-26 lead on two Hollins free throws with 3:47 left, but the Boxers used a pair of buckets from Daniel Zitani (Jr., Oakland, Calif.) to cut the deficit to 31-30 at halftime.
 
After the teams traded turnovers to begin the second, it was Ross Erickson's lay-in at the 19:04 mark that started the deciding 17-3 run.  It was also the only two-point bucket in the stretch as the Pioneers canned five three-pointers, three of which came from Pearce.  Pearce nailed back-to-back treys to end the run and give the Pioneers a 48-33 lead with 14:50 remaining.
 
Ironically, Lewis & Clark made just three more shots from the field the rest of the way and just one in the final 10 minutes, but the Boxers were unable to capitalize.  The closest Pacific came was nine points when Mosley's jumper with 8:39 left brought the Boxers within 54-45.  The Pioneers, however, used free throws to build their lead to as much as 18 points late in the game.
 
Pacific will conclude the 2012-13 season on Friday at Puget Sound.  Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.  Lewis & Clark ends their regular season on Saturday at Pacific Lutheran.