STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific men's basketball renewed a storied rivalry and defeated Fresno State, 76-72, Saturday afternoon in a non-conference contest at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
"I thought the team responded today," Head Coach
Leonard Perry said after the game. "We've watched a lot of game film and spent a lot of time improving."
Jordan-Ivy Curry led the Tigers (4-7) off the bench, scoring a game-high 16 points. Scoring in double figures for the seventh time this season, Ivy-Curry registered a 45.5 percent (five-for-11) shooting percentage while connecting on three of his four free-throw attempts. The sophomore from La Marque, Texas, continues to lead the team in scoring, averaging 13 points per game and total points with 143.
Luke Avdalovic also scored in double figures for the Tigers, scoring 15 points, while leading the team in minutes played with 31. Avdalovic continues to perform well from beyond the three-point line, connecting on two of his three attempts. The senior from Folsom, Calif., ranks first in the West Coast Conference in three-point percentage, shooting the ball from beyond the arc at a 58.5 percent clip.
The Tigers outrebounded their opponent for the third straight game, winning the rebounding battle over the Bulldogs (3-6), 30-26.
Cam Denson led the team in boards with six while giving the unit multiple second-chance opportunities as he tallied three offensive rebounds.
In a tightly contested first 10 minutes of play, the Bulldogs held a seven-point lead, 27-20, midway through the first half. Closing out the first half on a high note, the Tigers recovered, using an 18-2 run in the final seven minutes, and held a 38-29 edge at the halftime break.
The Tigers continued to build on their momentum as the game shifted toward the second half. Despite the Tigers extending the lead to 14, 57-43 at the 12:40 mark, the Bulldogs refused to back down and used multiple scoring runs, including outscoring the Tigers 19-5 in the following seven minutes to tie the game at 62.
Retaking the lead shortly after on a
Sam Freeman driving layup at the 4:34 mark of the second half, the Tigers never relinquished their advantage and held on for a four-point victory.
Pacific returns to action at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, as the Tigers face off against Cal State East Bay at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
