FOREST GROVE, Ore. - The Whitman College men's basketball team ran away from Pacific University Saturday night at the Stoller Center. The Northwest Conference matchup was back-and-forth for a good portion of the first half, but the 25th-ranked Whits found a formula that led them to a 91-74 victory over the Boxers.
During the first 16 minutes of the game there were seven lead changes and seven ties between the Whitties and the Boxers, but Whitman (11-2, 3-1 NWC) finished the final 4:21 of the first half on a 16-3 run that put the game out of reach for Pacific (8-5, 2-2 NWC). The Whitties ensured the win by forcing nine second half turnovers and holding the Boxers to just 1-7 shooting from beyond the arch in the final 20 minutes of the contest.
Sophomore,
Tim Howell led all scorers with 25 points while shooting 7-10 from the field and 9-12 from the free throw line. Guards,
Christian McDonald and
Tochi Oti combined for 12-25 shooting from the field for 30 points and added six rebounds to the mix. First year,
Montez White was a huge spark off the bench for the Whits during their late-first half run, pouring in 13 points on 5-6 shooting.
No team led by more than four points at any time of the first 16 minutes of the game. Every time one team would score, the other would counter in similar fashion. Senior,
Evan Martin ignited the team offensively, scoring six of the team's first eight points and forcing an early turnover. Whitman led by four on two separate occasions, but both times the Boxers responded.
After McDonald fouled Pacific's KC Harrison on a three-point attempt, Harrison connected on all three free throw attempts and tied the game 29-29. From that point Whitman caught fire. The Whits converted seven of their next nine shots and pushed the lead to 12 before the end of the half. The 16-3 run gave Whitman a comfortable cushion, entering the break, 45-32.
The second half picked up right where the first left off. Whitman began the half on a 15-4 run and essentially put the game out of reach for the Boxers, who trailed by 22 points with 15:44 remaining. Pacific was able to get the game back to within 12 points with just over eight minutes to play, but Whitman stopped the bleeding there and extended their lead again.
Over the final eight minutes of the game, McDonald and Howell combined for 10 points and the team forced six Boxer turnovers that helped secure the road victory for Whitman. The Whits play away from Sherwood Center next weekend as the team travels to George Fox University and Willamette University for games Friday and Saturday, respectively.
