MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Brooke Landis and Kory Oleson scored 32 of the 41 points in the second half for the Linfield Wildcats, who upset the Northwest Conference-leading Pacific Boxers, 61-56 at Ted Wilson Gym on Saturday night.
 
The Boxers fall to 8-2 in NWC play and 14-5 overall, a game behind the Whitman Blues. The Wildcats snapped a three-game losing skid and improved to 11-8 overall and 5-5 in conference play, tying them for fourth place in the NWC.
 
"In the fourth quarter, I just wanted to find a way to keep us going and score some points, hoping to get the lead back," said Landis. "Going into next weekend, we just have to have the bounce-back mentality we had tonight."
 
Linfield started the game leading 9-5, but Pacific closed out the quarter on a 6-2 run to tie the game at 11.
 
The Wildcats, who started four guards and just one forward for the first time this season, trailed 24-20 at halftime. Cassidy Schutz, Shasta Lofgren and Oleson each had four points in the first half.
 
Behind 19 points and seven rebounds from Courtney Carolan and 13 points and three steals from Camy Aguinaldo, the Boxers led by five going into the fourth quarter.
 
Coming from behind in the fourth quarter has become a speciality for the 'Cats, who have come from behind after trailing going into the fourth quarters three times this season and Saturday's win marked the fourth time.
 
With the Wildcats trailing, 50-48 at the 3:25 mark in the fourth quarter, Landis scored nine straight points to help the Wildcats lead 57-52, which they hung on to win 61-56 and snap their losing streak.
 
Landis was a perfect 5 for 5 from the field with a three-pointer in the second half for her 12 points and turned the game around for Linfield. Her 14 points and five field goals made were both career-highs for the junior transfer from Notre Dame Ne Namur University.
 
Oleson kept Linfield in the game, shooting 60 percent from the field and going 8 of 9 from the stripe in the second half. At one point in the second half, Linfield had 40 points and Oleson had 20 of those points.
 
The senior forward from West Linn, Oregon, has distanced herself as the top scorer in the conference, averaging 17.8 points per game, the second-highest scorer in the conference averages 16.1 points per game.
 
Among the four guards who started the game, Delaney Ragan had eight points and career-high eight rebounds. Schutz had six points, while Jordyn Feinauer and Paige LaFountain had four points and one point, respectively.
 
Linfield restricted Pacific to just four made three-pointers, limiting the Boxers to just 23.5 percent shooting from outside the arc.
 
The Wildcats shot 37.5 percent in the game, including 46.4 percent in the second half, and held the Boxers to just 34.4 percent in the game and 33 percent in the second half.
 
Linfield split the season series with Pacific, with each team defending its home court. The Wildcats have won eight of the last 10 meetings against the Boxers.
 
UP NEXT
Linfield remains at home for two games next weekend against Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran. The game against the Loggers tips off at 6 p.m. on Friday and the Lutes come to Ted Wilson Gym on Saturday at 4 p.m.