PORTLAND, Ore. - Senior Christina Herring drained a game-winning three-pointer with 18 seconds left as the Lewis & Clark women's basketball team ended the George Fox Bruins' 37 game winning streaks against Northwest Conference teams with a 58-56 victory on Friday night at the Pamplin Sports Complex.
The win improves the Pioneers to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in the Northwest Conference, while the Bruins fall to 8-4 on the season and 2-1 in conference. Heading into the night the Bruins had won 37 consecutive NWC games in the regular season that dated back to the 2007 season. The Pioneers were the last NWC team to defeat the Bruins in a regular season game with a 45-35 win in Portland.
Herring led the way for the Pios with 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Neva Hauser ended the night with 15 points, while sophomore Kristina Williams tallied 11 points and three assists.
Keisha Gordon had a team-high 12 points for the Bruins. Gordon along with teammates Hannah Munger and Carrie Myers all finished with eight rebounds.
The first half began with four ties and two lead changes in the opening eight minutes, before the Bruins went on a 6-0 run that put them ahead 17-11. The Pioneers responded in the final minutes of the half with an 11-2 run of their own which saw them take a 29-26 lead with 27 seconds on the clock. George Fox pulled within one point right before the half, sending the Pios into the locker room with a slim 29-28 advantage.
George Fox opened the second half scoring with a layup to put the Bruins back on top. The two sides would trade possession of the lead three times over the following three minutes, before the Bruins kicked things into gear with a strong 12-0 run to make things 44-33 with a little over 12 minutes remaining. The Pioneers would find themselves down 12 points with 9:11 left to play in the half, but their fate would quickly change. Williams scored two jumpers and back-to-back free-throws, helping ignite the Pios who would go onto score eight unanswered points over the next three minutes of action.
Holding a 54-48 lead with five minutes left to play, the Bruin offense would go could for nearly four minutes down the final stretch, allowing the Pios to fight their way back. Margaret Dowling helped get the Pioneers going with consecutive offensive rebounds that led to baskets, followed shortly after by Herring free-throws that pulled the Pios within one point at 54-53. George Fox captured a 56-53 lead with 59 seconds remaining, but Herring would once again make it a one-point game with a jumper with 49 seconds on the clock. The Pioneers would regain possession of the ball without a Bruin basket with 30 seconds to go, helping setup Herring for the game-winner. With 12 seconds left Herring knocked down what would prove to be a game-winning three-pointer, upsetting the Bruins.
The Pioneers return to action on Jan. 14 when they travel to take on the Pacific Lutheran Lutes at 6 p.m.