March 5, 2008

Box Score

Riverside, Calif. - The Pacific men's basketball team improved to 21-9, 11-5 in the Big West Conference with a 65-58 win at UC Riverside on Thursday, March 5. The Highlanders fell to 7-20 (3-12 Big West) with the loss. With the win, Pacific clinched at least the four seed at the Big West Tournament next week in Anaheim, Calif.

The Tigers started the game 5-of-5 from the field, taking a 10-7 lead after a dunk by junior Anthony Brown (Sacramento, Calif.). The Highlanders then outscored Pacific 8-2 to take a 15-12 lead with 10:17 left in the first half. Pacific came back with a 7-3 run to take a 19-18 lead after a three-pointer by junior Chad Troyer (Seattle, Wash.). The Highlanders outscored the Tigers 11-5 the rest of the half, getting seven points from Severin Gates to take a 29-24 lead at the break.

Junior Michael Nunnally (Stockton, Calif.) hit his first three shots of the second half, to help the Tigers to a 13-6 start and take a 37-35 lead with 14:55 remaining. After a layup by Gates tied the score at 37-37, the Tigers got back-to-back three-pointers from junior Bryan LeDuc (Corona, Calif.) and James Doran (Cameron Park, Calif.) to give the Tigers a 43-37 lead with 13:04 left. Pacific took a 47-39 lead with 11:31 left, then the Highlanders went on a 10-2 run to even the game at 49-49 with 7:40 remaining. A 10-2 run by the Tigers over the next three minutes, including five points from freshman Terrell Smith (Federal Way, Wash.), gave the Tigers a 59-51 lead with 4:07 left. The Tigers would extend the lead to 11 (65-54) before the Highlanders scored two late layups for the final margin.

Faced with a halftime deficit for the seventh time this year, it is the first time the Tigers have come back for the victory. Pacific shot 65.9% from the field, which is the ninth best single game percentage in school history.

Junior Steffan Johnson (Seattle, Wash.) led the Tigers with 11 points, while LeDuc and Nunnally each added 10 points for the Tigers.

Pacific is next in action at the Big West Tournament next week in Anaheim, Calif, and will play no earlier than Thursday.