LOGGER MEN ADVANCE TO NWC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 87-82 WIN
TACOMA, Wash. - Draining 13 from long-range, the Puget Sound Loggers advanced to the Northwest Conference Championship Game with a 87-82 win over the Willamette Bearcats in the Semifinal of the NWC Men's Basketball Tournament on Thursday night at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash. With the win, the Loggers will travel to Spokane to take on Whitworth on Saturday for the NWC Tournament Championship.
The Bearcats (11-15) came out strong and held a 10-point lead over the Loggers (19-6) with 13:28 remaining in the first period but the Loggers quickly erased that, going on a 11-0 run in just 89 seconds to pull ahead by one point. The Loggers pushed their lead to 12 points on a pair of free throw by Robert Krauel (Phoenix, Ariz./North Canyon) before the Bearcats posted a mini-comeback to cut the Logger lead to just four, 45-41, heading into halftime.
In the second half, Willamette tried to get back in it but everything they got close, the Loggers shut the door in their face. Puget Sound made 12-of-13 free throws in the second half to ice the victory. The Loggers also took advantage of Willamette turnovers, scoring 35 second-half points off Bearcats miscues.
The Loggers were led by 17 points from junior Jason Foster (Tacoma, Wash./Foss). Antwan Williams (Portland, Ore./Madison) added 16 while Austin Boyce (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) came off the bench to score 14. Taylor Marsh (Lynnwood, Wash./Meadowdale) finished the Loggers in double-digit scoring, putting up 13 points, including three from behind the arc.
Willamette was led by 23 points from Corey Constantino. Mike Smith chipped in 17 points and Kyler McLary added 13 in the loss. Cameron Mitchell came off the bench to record the double-double, finishing with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. The Bearcats out-rebounded the Loggers, 45-27, but turned the ball over 30 times.
The Loggers will now head east to take on Whitworth in Spokane for the Northwest Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Tip-off with the Pirates is set for 8:00 p.m. at Whitworth Fieldhouse in Spokane.
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