PORTLAND, Ore. --- Linfield men's basketball (1-2) fell on the road on Saturday afternoon, coming up just short in a back-and-forth matchup with Warner Pacific, 73-71.
 
Linfield's offense found rhythm early, with Dayton Magaña sinking a three to begin the Wildcats scoring, leading 3-2. The Wildcats hit six first-half threes, including multiple threes from Dayton Magana and key shots from both Chase Bennett and Gavin Perdue. Linfield surged in front midway through the half, taking a 17-10 lead with 13:07 remaining in the first half. 
 
But Warner Pacific closed the half with a strong push of its own, reclaiming the lead by halftime, 34–28, capping off a 24-11 run that gave them their first lead since 15:16 in the first. 
 
Linfield responded aggressively after the break. Bennett took command in the second half, scoring 15 of his 18 points after halftime. Magana continued his hot night from beyond the arc, eventually finishing with six threes and a game-high 24 points. Linfield trailed by as much as 10 early in the final half of play. Nalu Vargas, Gavin Perdue, Logan Morrill, and Bennet cut the Knights to three with 12:26 remaining.
 
Once Warner Pacific grew the lead to 11, Linfield started draining threes, helping a 15-4 run that tied the game back up at 63-63, the first tie since the first half. Magana and Bennett sank two more threes, giving the 'Cats a 69-67 lead with just 1:43 remaining. The Knights caught up yet again, tying the game up again late, 71-71, where Warner Pacific sank a buzzer-beating shot in the final second to end Linfield's hope at a comeback, 73-71.
 
Magana led with 24-points, hitting nine shots and six threes while adding three steals. Bennett totaled 18-points with efficient shooting, three steals, and four assists. Perdue added ten points, including two threes, and contributed on the glass. Vargas provided eight points, five rebounds, and four assists while Callsen anchored the paint defensively with two blocks and added four points and four rebounds. Both teams shot nearly the same from the field and beyond the arc, with the difference coming at the stripe, where the Knights shot 69% and the 'Cats shot 57%. 
 
Men's basketball heads to southern California, taking on the La Verne Leopards on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Linfield defeated the Leopards earlier this season, 79-75, inside Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
 
 
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