Nov. 26, 2008

Box Score

Reno, Nev. - Behind a career-high 23-point performance from senior Bryan LeDuc (Corona, Calif.), the Pacific Tigers men's basketball team defeated the Nevada WolfPack, 67-59, on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

The victory lifted Pacific to 2-1 on the season, while Nevada fell to 2-2.

The game started out very close as the teams traded baskets and were tied 11-11 after the first eight minutes. Pacific established the inside early, getting five points from senior Anthony Brown (Sacramento, Calif.) and two from sophomore Sam Willard (Pierre, S.D.) in addition to four points from sophomore Terrell Smith (Federal Way, Wash.). Continuing the close game, Nevada took a 14-11 lead but the Tigers scored on consecutive baskets by LeDuc and senior James Doran (Cameron Park, Calif.) to take a 15-14 advantage. The WolfPack again responded with a 5-2 stretch to take a 19-17 lead with 7:31 remaining. The teams were scorless over the next three minutes, before the Tigers knotted it up again on a layup by Smith. After Nevada took a 22-20 lead on a layup from Malik Cooke with a minute remaining, LeDuc sank a three-pointer at the top of the key with 25 seconds left to take a 23-22 halftime lead. The first half featured six ties and nine lead changes and neither team led by more than three points.

The second half started out with the teams again trading baskets, with the WolfPack pulling ahead 30-27 on a jumper by Armon Johnson with 15:09 remaining. The Tigers then went on a 10-0 run, keyed by seven points from LeDuc, who hit a three-pointer, a pair of free throws and a jumper to finish the run and give the Tigers a 39-32 lead with 11:49 left in the game. The WolfPack had cut the lead to six (44-38) with a basket from Luke Babbitt, but the Tigers once again answered with a 7-0 run to take a 51-38 lead with 8:29 remaining. It was Nevada's turn to make a run, scoring on its next three possessions to cut the lead to 51-44 and after a free throw by Brown and two makes by Nevada's Malik Cooke it was a 52-46 Pacific lead with 5:30 left. The Tigers were again able to take the lead to 10 on another three-pointer by LeDuc with 2:36 on the clock, but Nevada wouldn't go away, scoring four straight again to cut the lead to 60-54 with 56 seconds remaining. The Tigers answered with a pair of free throws each from senior Chad Troyer (Seattle, Wash.), junior Lavar Neufville (Fairfield, Calif.) and Smith to make it a 12 point game (66-54) and only 24 ticks left. Pacific was able to hit seven of 11 free throws in the final minute to seal the victory.

In addition to LeDuc's career-high 23 points, he also had a career high with four steals. Smith had a career high as well, netting 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field. Brown added 10 points, while Willard led the team with nine rebounds.

Babbitt had a team-high 19 points for the WolfPack.

Pacific returns to the court on Saturday, Nov. 29 as the Tigers travel to Seattle, Wash. to face the Washington Huskies at 1 p.m.