NEWBERG, Ore. —Linfield was unable to replicate its early season success against George Fox, falling 97-76 to the Bruins in a Northwest Conference matchup on Friday night at Wheeler Sports Center. The loss drops Linfield to 7-11 overall and 4-5 in conference play, while George Fox improves to 8-10 (4-5 NWC).
Linfield, which had defeated George Fox 79-71 earlier in the season, struggled to contain the Bruins' offense, particularly in the first half. George Fox shot 55.6% from the field in the opening period, including a blistering 75% from beyond the arc, to take a 51-41 lead into halftime. The Wildcats fought back in the second half but were unable to close the gap, as the Bruins maintained their offensive efficiency to secure the win.
Max Juhala led Linfield with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range.
Garrett Callsen added 12 points, three assists and three rebounds, while
Cade Collins contributed 12 points and two rebounds. Dayton Magana provided a spark off the bench with 10 points, three steals and two assists in 19 minutes of action.
The Wildcats were on fire from beyond the arc in the first half, shooting 62.5% (5-of-8) but in the second half, that number dropped down to 18.1% (2-of-11) as they attempted to mount a comeback. while George Fox connected on 52.4% (11-of-21) of their three-point attempts. Linfield also committed 21 turnovers, which the Bruins converted into 21 points.
Despite the loss, Linfield showed resilience, particularly in the paint, where the Wildcats recorded three blocks. The Wildcats also got significant contributions from their bench, which tallied 33 points.
NEXT
Linfield will look to bounce back on Saturday when it faces Pacific in another NWC contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. in McMinnville.