TACOMA, Wash. – In a grind-it-out, hard-nosed game, it was Tanner Autencio who elevated his game to lead the Linfield Wildcats to a 68-54 victory at Olson Gymnasium over the Pacific Lutheran Lutes on Friday night.
 
Autencio poured in 20 points on 7 of 10 shooting while adding seven assists and six rebounds in another near triple-double effort for the senior. Grant Gibb chipped in with 14 points, six rebounds and two steals.

"That was a very physical, hard-fought game," Linfield coach Shanan Rosenberg said afterward. "We were fortunate to hang on and win on the road. We did not do a good job with ball security or defensive execution, but we did rebound very well."
 
It was a slow start for both teams, with Linfield held to single-digit points in the first nine minutes of the contest. There wasn't a lot of flow to the first half either, with plenty of stoppages and two technical fouls. Austin Hilton was charged with the first technical and Seth Hall of PLU was charged with the second with his foul on Max Lommen.
 
The half ended with both teams getting back into rhythm. Linfield knocked home eight of its last nine shots to conclude the period. PLU wouldn't give up, ending the frame with buckets on three of its last four shots, yet Linfield held a nine-point lead into intermission.
 
In the second half, it was PLU which would open with the momentum, netting back-to-back baskets to cut into the Wildcats' lead. With 13 minutes left in the game, Linfield hit a cold spell, allowing PLU to go on a 7-0 scoring run.
 
Autencio put the game on his back, converting on three of his next four shots, including two three-pointers, to extend the Linfield lead. PLU made one more valiant effort in hopes of a comeback, converting five out its next six shots. But Dempsey Roggenbuck scored a tough layup and Gibb closed the book on the Lutes with a three-pointer with a minute remaining to seal the game in Linfield's favor.
 
Austin Hilton contributed 10 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes bench. Roggenbuck led the team in rebounding with eight on a tough shooting night. Leighton Kingma came on late to lead Pacific Lutheran with 15 points and Conor Geiger added 13.

"Credit much of rebounding efficiency to Austin Hilton, who was outstanding for us and really played with want tonight," said Rosenberg. "Tanner Autencio made every big play we needed and was determined to put us on his back. Tremendous leadership came from both Tanner and Austin. We expect that from seniors and veteran performers.

"We didn't play the prettiest game," Rosenberg admitted. "Some guys flat out struggled, but we found a way on the road and that's always a great sign."
 
NEXT
Linfield (9-3, 3-0 NWC) continues its Tacoma road trip with a meeting Saturday at 6 p.m. against the Puget Sound Loggers (7-5, 1-2). The Loggers are coming off a 89-87 win to Pacific on Friday.