Box Score

EUGENE, Ore.  – The Northwest Christian University men's basketball team had just nine turnovers with five players scoring in double-figures to claim an 83-78 overtime victory on Wednesday night against Linfield College.

The Beacons (8-8) were led in scoring by senior Brian Hampton with 19 points, adding four assists and four of the teams' eleven steals. Greg Shepard (pictured) added 15 points and five rebounds, along with two blocks and two steals. Jordan Miller, getting his first career start, scored ten points. Coming off the bench, Jordan Buhler added 14 points and Travis Pacos threw in 13 as the NCU reserves outscored their Linfield counterparts, 35-11.

NCU shot 42% in the game, holding the Wildcats to 36.8% shooting. The Beacons scored 36 points in the paint and 18 off of turnovers.

Linfield (2-9) was led by Andrew Batiuk, scoring 28 points and eight rebounds as he hit three first-half three-pointers for the Wildcats. Zach Anderson scored 20 points and ten rebounds despite shooting just 4-for-18 from the field. David Lee was also in double figures scoring ten points before fouling out. Linfield out-rebounded the Beacons 56-34 including 25 offensive boards, leading to a 25-2 margin in second-chance points.

The Beacons held a brief lead in the middle of the first half but wouldn't be ahead of the Wildcats again until overtime. NCU continued to claw away throughout the game, never allowing Linfield more than a seven-point cushion.

Leading throughout most of the second half, the Wildcats were ahead 62-56 with four minutes to play but the Beacons mounted a comeback, using an 8-2 run to tie the game at 64-64 on three-point play from Miller with 2:37 remaining. 

The Wildcats had their chances to win in the final minute. Tied 66-66, Lee went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line with 38 seconds remaining. The Beacons immediately turned the ball over and with 25 seconds to go, Batiuk also hit just one of two, building a 68-66 lead. NCU was given one last possession and with less than ten seconds to play, Buhler drove the lane and laid it in for two points to tie the game. Anderson was blocked by Shepard on a last-second attempt to win the game, sending it to overtime.

The Beacons out-scored Linfield 15-10 in the overtime as they held LC to just 2-of-6 shooting including a 0-for-4 effort from three-point range. Hampton scored five and Buhler scored four in the extra period to help NCU pull away.

Head Coach Corey Anderson said, “This group is getting used to these close games and we are just young enough that we are still learning how to play through that. This was a great win for us heading back into conference play.

NCU resumes the Cascade Collegiate Conference schedule on Friday night, traveling to Salem to take on rival Corban University at 7:30 pm.