George Fox, Ranked #3, Surges Past Bearcats to Improve to 14-0
NEWBERG, ORE. -- George Fox University, ranked #3 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, held Willamette University to 25.5% shooting, as the Bruins defeated the Bearcats, 95-34, in Northwest Conference action on Friday, Jan. 13. The win at the Wheeler Sports Center improved GFU to 14-0 overall and to 5-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 1-13 on the season, 0-5 in the NWC.
NEWBERG, ORE. -- George Fox University, ranked #3 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, held Willamette University to 25.5% shooting, as the Bruins defeated the Bearcats, 95-34, in Northwest Conference action on Friday, Jan. 13. The win at the Wheeler Sports Center improved GFU to 14-0 overall and to 5-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 1-13 on the season, 0-5 in the NWC.
Willamette managed just 13 baskets on 51 attempts during the game, and the Bruins limited WU to 19.2% shooting (5 of 26) in the second half. Meanwhile, GFU shot 56.3% (18 of 32) over the final 20 minutes to finish at 50.8% overall (32 of 63).
Jami Roos led three Bruins in double figures with 18 points. She was 6 of 12 from the field, including 2 of 7 on three-pointers. Megan Arnoldy scored 13 points and Keisha Gordon added 12.
Arnoldy grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for George Fox. Gordon and Hannah Munger each hauled down seven boards for the Bruins.
For Willamette, senior wing Maya McFaddin (McMinnville, OR/McMinnville HS) scored a team-high eight points. Alexa Beeson (So., Wing, Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) tallied six points, while Kaileigh Westermann (Sr., F, Belfair, WA/South Kitsap HS) earned five points and nine rebounds.
Willamette led 4-2 after three minutes, but a 3-pointer by Arnoldy gave GFU the lead. The trifecta started a 9-0 run by the Bruins, who led 11-4 at the 14:21 mark. George Fox held a 15-6 advantage with 11:25 on the clock before going on a 16-6 offensive surge for a 31-12 advantage.
GFU owned a 45-17 lead at halftime. Arnoldy topped the stats in the first half with 11 points on 4 of 6 shooting.
The Bruins hit 25 of 34 free throws for 73.5%. Willamette connected on 8 of 23 free throws (34.8%).
George Fox achieved a 51-34 rebounding margin. The Bruins forced WU into 29 turnovers, while GFU lost the ball 16 times.
Willamette will play at Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, Jan. 14. Game time in Portland, Ore., is set for 6 p.m. (PST).
Maya McFaddin scored eight points for the Bearcats.