TACOMA, Wash. — Linfield could not overcome a slow start, falling to Puget Sound 92-73 in a Northwest Conference game Saturday afternoon at Memorial Fieldhouse.
The Wildcats were down 49-38 at halftime after struggling to contain the Loggers' offense throughout the first half..These struggles continued into the second half and Linfield wasn't able to complete a comeback.
The Wildcats were led by
Cade Collins and Dayton Magaña, who each scored 11 points. Collins shot 3-of-7 from the field and finished with two rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 25 minutes. Magaña, who was 4-of-11 overall and 3-of-7 from three-point range, also recorded one rebound.
Max Juhala added seven points and two rebounds, and
Josh Ryan contributed five points, one rebound and one assist.
Jack Greenwood poured in nine points off the bench to go along with two rebounds and a steal.
On the other side, Puget Sound was led by Taj Phillips, who scored a game-high 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three-point range. Phillips also had six rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Liam Ruttledge contributed 16 points and four three-pointers, while Zane Miller finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
Puget Sound shot 51.6% from the field, including 47.8% from beyond the arc, and was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line in the first half. In contrast, Linfield made just 46.8% of its shots but shot well from long distance at 42.1%. The Wildcats had issues at the charity stripe, converting only 7-of-12 free throws (58.3%).
The Loggers dominated on the boards, outrebounding the Wildcats 42-27. Puget Sound also capitalized on second-chance opportunities, scoring 26 points off offensive rebounds and 10 fast-break points. Linfield, meanwhile, tallied 12 second-chance points.
NEXT
Linfield prepares for a Friday night matchup with Lewis & Clark in Ted Wilson Gymnasium at 6 p.m.