Dec. 3, 2008
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - A pair of late free throws by senior James Doran (Cameron Park, Calif.) sent the contest into overtime where the Tigers took down Cal State Bakersfield, 67-63, on Wednesday, December 3. The win moved the Tigers to 3-2 overall while the Roadrunners fell to 3-4 on the year.
In the first half the Tigers fell behind as the Roadrunners took a 9-7. A pair of three-pointers by Doran and junior Lavar Neufville (Fairfield, Calif.) gave the Tigers a 14-13 lead with 12:12 left in the first half. The Roadrunners were able to climb ahead, using an 8-0 run to take a 24-17 lead with 6:15 left in the period, their largest lead of the game. Pacific answered right back with a 7-0 run keyed by five points from sophomore Terrell Smith (Federal Way, Wash.). After Cal State Bakersfield scored four straight, the Tigers did the same to end the half tied at 28-28.
The Roadrunners took a quick 36-30 lead over the first three minutes of the second half, behind an 8-2 run. The Tigers countered with a 9-1 run, as Doran capped it with a layup to make the score 41-39 with 11:56 left in regulation. Pacific was able to take its largest lead of the game (50-43), after a 7-0 spurt with 6:48 left. The Roadrunners chipped away at the lead and were able to tie the game at 54-54 after a three-pointer by Patrick Clarkson and took a 56-54 lead on a pair of free throws by Trent Blakely. Doran was fouled with :16 seconds left and hit both free throws to knot the game at 56-56, the 10th tie of the contest. Terrence Johns missed a three-pointer at the buzzer for CSUB.
The overtime period began with a layup from junior Joe Ford (Altadena, Calif.), but the Tigers fell behind after a free throw and a three-pointer by the Roadrunners. Ford then sank two free throws to tie the game at 60-60 and a jumper in the lane by senior Bryan LeDuc (Corona, Calif.) gave the Tigers a 62-60 lead with 1:14 left in overtime. After senior Anthony Brown (Sacramento, Calif.) hit a pair of free throws to extend the Tiger lead to four (64-60), Johns hit a three-pointer to make it 64-63 with just :24 seconds left. Another pair of free throws makes by Neufville gave the Tigers a 66-63 lead. The Roadrunners then turned the ball over and Doran hit one of two free throws to seal the win.
Doran led the Tigers with 16 points in his first start of the year, while Ford added 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field. Sophomore Sam Willard (Pierre, S.D.) led the Tigers on the boards with nine rebounds.
The Tigers hit 14-of-19 free throws, including nine of the last 10, to shoot 73.7% for the game. Pacific held a 40-32 advantage on the boards, including 17 offensive rebounds.
The Tigers are next in action with a home game against Fresno State on Saturday, December 6. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
