GEORGE FOX 58, C OF IDAHO 51: Bruins Break Late Tie to Defeat Tourney Host ‘Yotes

CALDWELL, Idaho – Keisha Gordon scored five straight points to break a 48-48 tie late in the second half, leading the George Fox University Bruins past the College of Idaho Lady Coyotes 56-51 in the final game of the Best Western Caldwell Inn & Suites Lady ‘Yote Women’s Basketball Classic Saturday evening here at the Albertson Activities Center.

George Fox, ranked 4th in the NCAA Division III by the WBCA and picked to win its fifth straight Northwest Conference title in the pre-season coaches’ poll, snapped a two-game losing streak to improve to 4-2 on the season.  The College of Idaho, ranked 19th in the NAIA Division II and the pre-season favorite in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, saw its record evened at 4-4.

After shooting only 26 per cent in a 50-41 loss to Westminster College-Salt Lake City the day before, the Bruins’ offensive struggles continued in the early going Saturday as they hit only two of their first 11 shots.  That enabled the Lady ‘Yotes to break a 6-6 tie with nine unanswered points, the last seven on three baskets and a free throw by Nicole Gall, and jump out to a 15-6 lead seven-and-a-half minutes into the game.

The Bruins finally got going with Gordon’s three-point play midway through the period sparking a 10-0 run, Hayley Cusick finishing the streak with a steal and layup for their first lead of 16-15 with 7:19 to go.  A three-pointer by Gall and a jumper by Tyra Rickman put the ‘Yotes back on top by four, but layups by Megan Arnoldy and Cusick and two free throws by Breezy Rinehart-Young made it 22-20 Bruins with four minutes left.  There were three mores ties in the half before the Bruins took a 27-26 lead into the break after a free throw by Arianna Mohsenian with 32 seconds left.

The ‘Yotes used a 7-0 run early in the second half to forge ahead 36-31, but the Bruins responded with a 10-2 burst, led by two goals and a free throw by Cusick, to go back in front 41-38 with 11:21 left.  The game stayed tight over the next five minutes, a three-pointer by Gall knotting the score one last time at 48-48 with 6:03 remaining. 

Gordon put the Bruins ahead for good with a free throw with 5:56 left, then added a steal and layup and a jumper to boost the margin to 53-48 with 3:57 to go.  A free throw by Hannah Munger and a layup by Cusick extended the margin to 56-48 with 2:10 left, more than enough to offset Gall’s three with 55 seconds to go, which was the only score for the Lady ‘Yotes in the last six minutes.

George Fox blistered the nets in the second half, hitting .591 (13-22) to finish with a .458 field goal mark (22-48).  Gordon and Munger had 15 points apiece and Cusick added 13.  Munger and Gordon had seven rebounds each as the Bruins held a 42-40 rebound edge, and Munger blocked three shots.  Gordon added four assists and four steals, and Cusick handed out four assists also.

Gall, a Third Team NAIA All-American last year, scored 22 points with nine rebounds, seven assists, and two blocked shots, all top numbers for the Lady ‘Yotes, who finished with a .286 shooting percentage (18-63).  Katelin Shannon picked up four steals. 

Whitworth University (2-2), the only unranked team in the tournament, had beaten the College of Idaho 63-59 on Friday, then won the tournament by knocking off Westminster 92-77 in the first game Saturday, shooting .554 from the field to do so.  Westminster (10-2), ranked 10th in the NAIA Division I, had its nine-game winning streak snapped

NEXT: George Fox opens conference play Tuesday at Willamette University in Salem,Ore., at 6:00 p.m.  The George Fox-Willamette men’s game will follow at 8:00 p.m. ... The College of Idaho hosts Northwest University at 7:30 p.m. in a Cascade Conference contest.