TACOMA, Wash. – The Linfield men's basketball team fell 80-60 on the road Friday night to the University of Puget Sound Loggers in Memorial Fieldhouse.
Puget Sound (16-6, 9-4) set the tone early, opening up a 17-5 lead with 12:45 to go in the first half.
Linfield (9-13, 6-7) responded to trim the deficit to as little as three several times through the first half, but a 10-2 Logger run over the final 2:05 of the half set the lead at 14 going into halftime, 39-25.
The Wildcats only came within 13 points of the Loggers for the rest of the night, with Puget Sound shooting 50 percent from the field in the second half while Linfield could only muster 39.39 percent.
For the game Linfield shot 36.5 percent from the field, 25.9 percent from three (7 for 27) and 53.8 percent on free throws (7 for 13), while Puget Sound shot 44.9 percent from the field, 32 percent from three (8 for 25) and 71.4 percent from the free throw line.
The Loggers owned many stat categories for the game, winning the rebound battle by five, scoring 18 points off turnovers, 44 points in the paint and 22 second chance points off 14 offensive rebounds.
The Wildcats scored 13 points off turnovers, 30 points in the paint and 14 second chance points off 11 offensive rebounds. Linfield did get 36 points from its bench.
Linfield was led in scoring by
Trey Bryant's 13 points. Bryant also added three rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Reece Gibb was the only other Wildcat who finished in double-figures with 11 points on 4 of 10 shooting with two made threes. Gibb also led all players in the game in rebounds with 10, putting together his second double-double of the season and of his career.
Puget Sound was led by three Loggers reaching double-figures. Grant Erickson led the way with 17 points and seven rebounds, Taj Phillips added 16 points, six rebounds and six assists while Mussie Teclamariam contributed 15 points and seven rebounds.
NEXT
The Wildcats have a quick turnaround, heading back down to McMinnville for Senior Day on Saturday against Lewis and Clark (13-9, 7-6), with tip-off set for 6:00.
They'll end the season with their annual trip to eastern Washington to take on Whitworth (14-9, 9-5) in Spokane on Feb. 17 and Whitman (18-4, 11-2) in Walla Walla on Feb. 18.