McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Holding the Northwest Conference's highest-scoring team 23 points below its season average, the Linfield Wildcats cruised past the Pacific Boxers 105-83 in a frenetic men's basketball game Friday night at Ted Wilson Gym.
 
Linfield (13-4, 6-2 NWC) won its second NWC contest in four days. Pacific (7-9, 1-6 NWC) lost for the fourth time in five tries.
 
"I'm glad we were able to survive and play lots of guys tonight," Linfield coach Shanan Rosenberg said afterward. "Our ball security must improve, but we also can be good in transition so it's a slippery slope for us."
 
How it played out
Fueled by Max Lommen's 12 first-half points, Linfield built a commanding 52-32 advantage at the intermission. The Wildcats shot a blistering 64.3 percent from the field. Linfield went 5 for 8 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes while Pacific struggled to a 5-for-33 effort from beyond the arc. Eleven of the 14 Wildcats who saw action in the first period scored points.  
 
Linfield secured its first double-digit lead of the game at the 11:28 mark as Riley Bruil connected on a three-pointer to make the score 22-12. The lead eventually reached 20 points on a free throw by Aaron Baune with 1:14 left before the break.
 
In the second half, the Boxers converted back-to-back threes to snip the margin to 16 points, but Bruil answered for Linfield with a three of his own at the 10-minute mark to push the Linfield lead to 80-61.
 
Linfield reached the century mark on a lay-in by Marcus Lord with 2:02 to play and Baune followed shortly after with a three-pointer to make it 104-79 in favor of the hosts.
 
Linfield ledger
Five Wildcats reached double figures in the scoring column. Lommen totaled a career-high 18 points off the bench, hitting 7 of 8 from the floor, including both his three-point attempts. Grant Gibb followed with 15 points on 4-of-4 shooting. Lord scored 12 points and had five rebounds in eight minutes. Bruil and Baune both netted 10 points in a supporting role.
 
Linfield outrebounded Pacific 55-42 but the Boxers forced 30 Linfield turnovers.
 
The Wildcats shots 63.8 percent from the field for the game, including 56.3 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Pacific summary
Pacific arrived at Wilson Gym averaging over 106 points per game but the Wildcats limited the Boxers' offense to 83 points, including modest 32 in the first half.
 
Marcus Wallace totaled a team-best 18 points while adding seven rebounds and four steals. Davis Holly dropped in 16 points, 12 of which came from outside the three-point arc. John Rigatti scored 13 points to go with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
Pacific hoisted 51 three pointers in the game, making 12 of those.
 
Rosenberg's remarks
"We played well offensively and finished well around the rim. We shot the three well also.
 
"Max Lommen played a whopper of a game was really efficient tonight. It was great to see Grant Gibb back shooting the ball so well. Matt Berger had good minutes for us off the bench and finished very well around the rim. Tanner Autencio was awesome and really made his teammates better. He handled the pressure like a veteran.
 
"We will heal up and rest with a bye this Saturday and start preparing for the second half of league with Lewis & Clark and PLU slated for next weekend."
 
Next
Linfield is idle until Friday, Jan. 25, when the 'Cats host the Lewis & Clark Pioneers at 8 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come to the game dressed in their best '90s attire as the Wildcats celebrate '90s Night.