Sophomore Davis Holly (Bend, Ore.) scored 19 of a career-high 22 in the final 25 minutes to spark the Pacific University men's basketball team to an 85-79 overtime win over Redlands in Tacoma on Friday night.
The Boxers (1-0) made a winner of first-year head coach Jerod Gibson, who became just the fourth Pacific head coach to win his debut. He is the first since current Pacific University athletic director Ken Schumann, won his first game at the helm in 1992.
The Bulldogs (0-1) had four players in double figures including Trevor Baker, who scored a game-high 23 points. He was joined by Jesse Wims (17 pts.), Joey Sponheim (16 pts.) and Blake O'Brien (11 pts.).
Boxers' junior Brevin Brown (Everett, Wash.) hit a pair of 3-pointers in overtime to start overtime for Pacific, who remained in front for the rest of the extra session. Twice, the Bulldogs cut the deficit to as little as two but Pacific sealed the win, making its final six free throws. In the extra session, the Boxers made 10 of 12 from the charity stripe.
Brown led a Pacific bench that outscored Redlands, 31-7 with 20 points. Joining Holly and Brown in double figures were senior Nate Olowo (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and senior Jay Merriweather (Buena Park, Calif.), who scored a career-high 11. The Boxers shot 85% (17-for-20) from the free-throw line for its highest effort since a 95.5 effort at Whitman on Jan. 7, 2017.
Pacific started the second half on a 10-1 run to take a 45-41 lead. Six of the 10 points came from Olowo, who had just four in the first 20 minutes. The Boxers stretched the lead to as much as 9, 59-50 on a lay-up by Brown.
The Bulldogs came back to tie the game at 61 on a 11-2 run. The game remained close for the final seven minutes of regulation. Pacific had a chance to win it at the end of regulation but an Olowo jumper came up short.
In addition to the offensive surge by Holly, the Boxers outscored the Bulldogs by a 13-2 margin while forcing eight turnovers over the final 25 minutes.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Boxers, who will face Evergreen State on Saturday at 4 p.m. in its final game of the Doug McArthur Classic.