EUGENE, Ore. – After trailing by as many as 19 points early in the second half, the Beacon men's basketball team methodically cut away at the deficit before defeating Multnomah University on Friday night, 102-87.
 
It was a true tale of two halves for both teams as Multnomah went from 54 points on 52% shooting in the first half to 33 points on 29% in the second. Bushnell shot 38% in the opening frame but torched the scoreboard for 65 points over the final 20 minutes, shooting 64%.
 
"We were not ourselves in the first half," said head coach Eddie Alexander. "This group is still learning each other and growing up together. The talent is there and the ability is there, but we are still working on how to be who we are on the court. I am very proud of how we came out in the second half and fought together."
 
The Lions hit 11 first-half three-pointers as they bounced out to a 54-37 advantage at the intermission and scored the first two points of the second-half for their largest lead of the night. Bushnell went on a 13-2 run to bring it within single-digits with 16:46 to play, but as they did for most of the night, the Lions answered with a three-pointer, this time from Andrew Classen.
 
With 9:31, Grant Dunn made it a nine-point game once again with a three-pointer as Multnomah led 78-69. The Beacons then held the Lions scoreless over the next five minutes, using a 19-0 run to mount an 88-78 lead of their own.
 
During the streak, Stevie Schlabach put the team on his back, scoring 15 points, including 13 in a row at one point. He scored another six points down the stretch, giving him 32 for the game.
 
Schlabach shot 13-for-24 from the field and hit four three-pointers, adding 12 rebounds for the double-double as the Beacons out-rebounded MU, 47-36. Kaden Sand (pictured) added 24 points, and a pair of monster dunks while Ernest Ugoagu posted a double-double of his own with 15 points and ten rebounds. Logan Sand came off the bench to score ten while Luke Burke added eight points and a team-high five assists.
 
Multnomah (0-18, 0-3 CCC) was led by Dunn and Classen, combining to score 46 points while hitting 14 threes between them. Wallace Ungwiluk added 12 points and a game-high six assists.
 
The teams are set to face off one more time on Saturday at 3:00 pm.