DAVIS, Calif. – Propelled by a late second-half surge, the Pacific men's basketball team defeated UC Davis, 74-72, in a non-conference contest Thursday evening at the University Credit Union Center.
"We kept working hard, and I need to credit this team for bouncing back in a big way," Head Coach
Leonard Perry said after the game. "Our guys care about this program, which fueled us despite facing adversity early in this game."
In his second game this season,
Keylan Boone led the Tigers (3-5) offensively, scoring a team-high 17 points off the bench. Tying his career-high in points set last season against Texas while playing at Oklahoma State, Boone connected on 50 percent (five-for-10) of his shots, including leading the team with three three-point baskets. The junior from Tulsa, Okla., was also a force in the paint throughout the contest, collecting seven total rebounds, with three coming on the offensive side of the ball.
Tyler Beard and
Greg Outlaw also scored in double figures for the Tigers, as Beard totaled 14 points while Outlaw added 10 points off the bench.
The Tigers kept up with the Aggies (6-3) on the glass, as both teams finished with 41 rebounds. Recording 14 offensive rebounds in a game for the second time this season, the Tigers won that category while having four players collect two or more offensive boards. The team also excelled in the turnover battle, forcing 13 Aggie turnovers while collecting six steals in the process.
Starting the game slowly, the Tigers fell behind 9-0 in the opening minutes of the contest. Trailing by 11, 24-13, later in the half, the Tigers began to climb back into the game, closing the first half on a 19-11 run to get within three, 35-32, at the halftime break.
Pacific took its first lead of the game less than three minutes into the second half, using an 8-4 run to go up 40-39 at the 17:16 mark. The game remained close throughout the remainder of the second half, as six lead changes ensued in the final 20 minutes of play.
Leading 52-51 at the 8:18 mark, the Tigers' advantage ballooned to eight, 65-57, with 2:45 remaining on the clock. The Aggies, however, quickly cut the deficit to two, 71-69, with 16 seconds remaining. The Tigers shut the door on the Aggies shortly after as crucial free throws from Beard and Outlaw and a late defensive stand secured the road win.
Pacific returns to action at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, as the Tigers face off at UC Santa Barbara at the Thunderdome.
