Gayman scored 20 points in the first half, but the Slugs’ inside-outside tandem of Derek Jones and Nicolas Owen combined for 28 points, boosting the California team to a 44-40 lead at the half. Jones had 11 while working in the paint, and Owen scored 17, hitting 5-6 from 3-point range, as the Slugs led most of the half and were up by as many as eight a couple of times.
A jumper by Gayman and a pair of 3-pointers by Philip Heu-Weller put the Bruins on top 48-47 for the first time since early in the game at the 18:30 mark in the second half. The teams exchanged leads four times and had four ties over the next six minutes before the Bruins took the lead for good at 64-61 on a 3-pointer by Aaron Schmick with 12:22 to play. Schmick gave the Bruins their first 10-point lead at 80-70 with another three at the 4:55 mark. Gayman hit three shots over the next two minutes and the Bruins made 7-8 free throws in the final 30 seconds to keep their lead.
The Bruins made their first 17 free throws before Schmick missed one with 26 seconds left. For the game, the Bruins were 20-21 from the line, a percentage of .952, breaking the old record for best free throw percentage with a miss of .947 (18-19) against Dominican College of Illinois on Dec. 6, 2002.
Gayman posted his 16th career double-double with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Schmick scored 22, Ben Melvin had 11, and Heu-Weller and Chris Parker tallied 10 apiece. Schmick was 6-7 from the field, including 5-6 from beyond the arc, and finished the two-day tournament hitting 11-12 from the field. As a team, the Bruins shot .714 (20-28) in the second half and ended the game with a .586 percentage (34-58). Schmick, Melvin, and Brent Satern had 5 assists each.
Owen totaled 24 and Jones 20 for the Banana Slugs, while Aaron Burgess chipped in with 12. Burgess also had a game-high 7 rebounds as the Slugs edged the Bruins on the boards 32-31. Matt Robles handed out 8 assists.
George Fox is now 1-2 on the season, while Cal-Santa Cruz is 0-5. In Saturday’s second game between the first day’s winners, the University of Puget Sound Loggers (4-0) downed the California Lutheran University Kingsmen (2-1) 116-96.
Gayman was named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Jones of Cal-Santa Cruz, Alex Minney and Sergei Lepiashinski of Cal Lutheran, and Zach McVey and tourney MVP Jeremy Cross of Puget Sound.
George Fox returns to action Tuesday, visiting Northwest College in Kirkland, Wash., for a 7:00 p.m. rematch. The Eagles hung on for a 63-59 win over the Bruins in the season opener on Nov. 19 in Newberg.