TACOMA, Wash. — Lewis & Clark College men's basketball battled throughout, but a late second-half surge ultimately led to an 88-76 loss to the University of Puget Sound in a Northwest Conference road contest at Memorial Fieldhouse on Friday night.
THE BASICS
Puget Sound 88, Lewis & Clark 76
(Lewis & Clark 11-11, 7-6 NWC)
(Puget Sound 12-11, 7-7 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior
Isaac Ticeson led the Pioneers with his second consecutive 20-point performance and added nine rebounds, while fellow seniors
Mikey Medlock Jr. and
Sam Henderson contributed 15 and nine points, respectively. Medlock Jr. connected on three 3-pointers in the first half. Junior
Justin White provided a spark off the bench with eight points, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Lewis & Clark jumped out to an early 6-2 lead after first-year
Jake Rodriguez, junior
Taien Jackson and Ticeson scored on consecutive possessions. The Pioneers extended their advantage through the middle portion of the first half, building their largest lead at the 7:44 mark. Medlock Jr. hit back-to-back 3-pointers, both assisted by senior
Ryan Trunkett before Trunkett knocked down a trey of his own to make it 28-22. However, Puget Sound responded with a surge and pulled within 33-31 after leading scorer Taj Phillips (22 points) hit a layup just before halftime.
The game remained tight through the first eight minutes of the second half, with neither team leading by more than four. Henderson tied the score at 50-all with a driving layup at the 12-minute mark, but the Loggers answered with a 7-0 run to take a 57-50 lead.
Despite a late push from the Pioneers—including a 3-pointer by senior
Nate Berg that cut the deficit to 73-68 with 3:27 left—Puget Sound sealed the win by converting free throws down the stretch. The Loggers outscored Lewis & Clark 57-43 in the second half to secure the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Berg was second on the team with seven rebounds against the Loggers.
- Henderson (10.3), Medlock Jr. (9.9), senior Griffin Datcher IV (9.3) and Ticeson (9.1) are the Pioneers' top four scorers this season.
- With three games remaining in Northwest Conference play, George Fox, Whitman and Lewis & Clark are tied for third place with 7-6 records. Whitworth (11-2) and Pacific Lutheran (8-5) hold the top two spots.
- George Fox defeated Whitman 99-78 on the road Friday and will face Whitworth on Saturday at 4 p.m. Pacific Lutheran beat Puget Sound 83-69 on Tuesday and will host Willamette on Saturday.
WHO'S NEXT
The Pioneers return to Pamplin Sports Center on Saturday to host Linfield at 4 p.m.
