GEORGE FOX 78, PACIFIC 48: Bruins Use 19-0 Run to Surge Past Hot-Starting Boxers

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NEWBERG, Ore. – After spotting the hot-starting Pacific University Boxers an 11-1 advantage, the nationally-ranked George Fox University Bruins roared back with a 19-0 run to take control on the way to a 78-48 win in Northwest Conference women's basketball action Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
 

The Bruins, who are ranked 8th in the D3hoops.com poll and 13th in the WBCA poll, won their 21st straight game against the Boxers while improving to 13-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference.  Pacific lost its fourth straight to fall to 4-8 overall and 0-4 in the league.

 

The Bruins got on the board first with a Megan Arnoldy free throw, but missed their first six shots from the field as the Boxers reeled off 11 points in a row.  Two short-range baskets by Sarah Curl, a three-pointer by Nani Ostrom, and layups by Curl and Olivia Cook made it 11-1 with 14:42 to go in the period. 

 

The Bruins finally got a basket on a short jumper by Justine Benner at the 14:24 mark, setting off a run of 19 unanswered points over a seven-minute span.  Eight different Bruins scored field goals in the run, Benner making two and Dacia Heckendorf hitting a three.  Nicole Blizzard's jumper in the lane capped the rally and made it 20-11 with 7:14 left. 

 

A jumper by Cook ended the George Fox streak, but the Bruins continued to pull away, taking a double-digit lead of 25-15 on two Arnoldy free throws with 4:06 left.  A pair of free throws by Jami Roos with 18 seconds left gave the Bruins, who out-scored the Boxers 36-9 after the early deficit, a 37-20 halftime lead. 

 

After missing their first six shots, the Bruins made 14 of 21 and ended the half with a .519 percentage (14-27) while holding the Boxers to a .310 mark (9-29).  Benner, Arnoldy, and Blizzard had seven points apiece for the Bruins, with Cook and Curl scoring six each for the Boxers.

 

The Bruins scored the first five points of the second half on a three-point play by Benner and two charity tosses by Jordyn Peacock for a 44-20 lead, and the George Fox lead never dipped under 20 points again.  Kennedy scored the last four points of the game on two field goals to boost the final margin to 30.

 

George Fox used 17 players in the game, with 13 of them scoring.  Benner led the way with 14 points, and Arnoldy and Peacock added 10 each as the Bruins shot .517 (30-58) from the floor and hit .750 (15-20) from the line.  Peacock grabbed eight rebounds as the Bruins out-boarded the Boxers 39-35.  Arnoldy and Roos handed out five assists each, Peacock and Cusick each blocked two shots, and Cusick, Heckendorf, and Lauren Codling had two steals apiece.

 

Curl and Cook with 14 and 12 points respectively led the Boxers, who shot .304 (17-56), including .190 (4-21) from three-point range.  Cook had a team-high seven rebounds, while Alex Pfefferle passed out five assists and made two steals.

 

NEXT: George Fox hosts the eastern Washington teams next weekend, starting with Whitworth University Friday at 6:00 p.m.  The men's game will follow at 8:00 p.m. … Pacific goes to Lewis & Clark College Friday for another NWC doubleheader, with tip-offs at 6:00 and 8:00 p.m.