NEWBERG, Ore. – Keisha Gordon tossed in 21 points and became the second-leading scorer in George Fox University women's basketball history as the third-ranked Bruins remained unbeaten with an 82-51 win over the Whitman College Missionaries in Northwest Conference action Saturday afternoon here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
Gordon hit 7-of-7 field goal attempts, including a pair of three-pointers, and 5-of-8 free throws to boost her career points to 1,542. She passed former All-American center Katie (Greller) Lacey, who had 1,524 from 1997-2001, and needs 88 more to surpass Melody Groeneveld-McMaster's 1,629 from 1981-85.
George Fox improved to 19-0 overall and 10-0 in the NWC, a game ahead of Lewis & Clark College, which defeated Whitworth University at home 82-70. Whitman fell to 10-9 overall and 6-4 in the league.
Jenele Peterson hit a long two-pointer to open the scoring but that was the only leading the visiting Missionaries would have. Hayley Cusick's spinning layup tied the game moments later and ignited a 9-0 Bruin run that included a Hannah Munger layup, another Cusick drive, and a three by Megan Arnoldy.
The Missionaries climbed back within four points five times, the last at 21-17 with 9:17 left in the half on a pair of Meghan White free throws - and then Gordon went to work. Over the next four minutes, the Bruins out-scored the visitors 14-2, with Gordon contributing three layups, a three-pointer and an assist as the lead climbed to 35-21. Two Gordon free throws with 2:45 left gave the Bruins their largest lead of the half at 41-23 before settling for a 44-29 score at the break.
Whitman outshot George Fox .571 (8-14) to .485 (16-33) in the half, but the Bruins took advantage nine offensive rebounds and made nine steals, five by Gordon, while forcing 16 turnovers. Gordon led all scorers with 14 points, while Heather Lovelace had six points for the Missionaries.
Munger and Cusick scored the first two baskets of the second half to push the lead to 19 and the Bruins maintained a comfortable margin the rest of the way, the Missionaries getting no closer than 15 at any point. The Bruins took their first 20-point lead of 56-35 on two Arnold freebies with 14 minutes to play, and posted their largest lead of 31 points at 82-51 on a drive by Kylee Parker with 50 seconds remaining.
George Fox shot .520 (13-25) in the second half to finish with a .500 mark (29-58), and hit 8-22 (.364) on three-pointers. By holding Whitman to a .321 shooting mark (9-28) in the second half, the Bruins dropped the Missionaries' overall percentage to .405 (17-42), including 0-6 on threes. Whitman wound up with a 35-30 rebound advantage, but committed 30 turnovers as the Bruins made 13 steals.
Joining Gordon in the Bruins' scoring parade were Munger with 13 points, and Cusick and Dacia Heckendorf with 10 each. Arnoldy and Munger had six rebounds apiece, Arnoldy and Cusick had three assists each, and Gordon made five steals.
Lovelace was the only Missionary in double figures with 13 points. White had a game-high eight rebounds, Kelly Peterson passed out three assists, and Jenele Peterson picked up two steals.
NEXT: George Fox hosts seventh-ranked Lewis & Clark Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. with first place in the NWC on the line. The Pioneers are 18-1 overall and 9-1 in the conference, their only loss a 68-63 setback in Portland at the hands of the Bruins back on Jan. 3 ... Whitman hosts Pacific Lutheran University Friday at 6:00 p.m. ... Both games are parts of NWC doubleheaders, with men's games following at 8:00 p.m.