NEWBERG, Ore. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team concluded their three-game road trip in the Pacific Northwest Tuesday night with a win at George Fox University, 88-75.
With the win the Bulldogs move back to .500 at 3-3, while George Fox drops to 2-1. For the game U of R shot 49.3% from the field with a 46.7% clip from behind the arc. They shot 63% from the free-throw line, won the battle on the glass 50-38, added 15 second chance points and outscored the Bruins 44-28 inside the paint.
It was a slow start to the game with the Bulldogs holding a slight lead at 7-3 six minutes into the first half. A 6-0 run soon after would increase the lead to eight following layups from Nathan Anderson (Los Angeles, CA) and Romeo Mays (Vallejo, CA). After the Bruins fought their way back to get within three, Redlands then put together another run to increase their lead to double digits at 29-19. During the run Tyson Legner (Phoenix, AZ) converted an and one, Robert Power (Pacific Palisades, CA) and Darne Duckett (Oakland, CA) added lay-ins and Justice Marmara (Arlington, TX) would knock down a jumper.
After the lead grew to twelve, Redlands conceded a mini-run to GFU that reduced their lead to two possessions, 33-28, at the 5:10 mark. But a strong response by the Maroon and Grey brought it back to double-digits with 3:46 to play and they would hold steady to take a 53-42 lead into the break.
Khair Jackson (Canoga Park, CA) opened the second half scoring with a made jumper and Neil Owens (Pasadena, CA) converted on his to move the lead back to twelve
But at the 10:53 mark, the Bulldogs' double-digit lead was gone, and the game was tied at 62. The Bruins had gone on a 17-5 run during that period, and much like the first half, the Bulldogs had only scored nine points in the first nine minutes.
But as quick as their lead evaporated, UR grew their lead right back quicker, going on an ensuing 11-0 run regaining control like they never lost it. Power and Owens knocked down triples and Sam Abere (Lake Oswego, OR) would add a layup moving the score to 73-62. This double-digit lead would hold the remainder of the game as Redlands took home a much-needed win. They played their fifth game on the road out of their last six and at the conclusion of their non-conference schedule will have played nine of ten away from Currier Gym.
The Bulldogs were led by Power who had 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 4-for-5 from three. He also added four rebounds in his 25 minutes. Mays nearly had a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Duckett had a game-high 22 points and added eight rebounds and three assists.
Redlands will get eight days to prepare for their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) opener, which is next Wednesday, December 1 at 5:00 p.m inside Currier Gym against the Whittier College Poets.
