Both teams are now 3-2 in the Northwest Conference. The Wildcats evened their overall record at 7-7. PLU saw its modest three-game winning streak come to an end, dropping to 5-9 overall.
Sam Kreiger scored a game-high 23 points and corraled seven rebounds for Linfield. Jake Lipscomb led PLU with 11 points and Michael Torbenson added 10.
PLU claimed their early lead as Jake Lipscomb and Drew Cardwell each contributed four points. After Cardwell's free throw made it 17-7 with halfway through the period, the Wildcats awoke to go on a 13-2 run that ended with two converted free throws by forward Chris Lewis. A Landon Heidenreich jumper gave PLU a temporary 21-20 lead, but the Wildcats went on another 11-3 spurt to take control. Linfield led 38-26 at the intermission behind 15 points from Kreiger and 10 from Lewis.
The Wildcats refused to let up in the second half, scoring the first eight points of the period. Linfield led by 18 with 16:56 to play following a Blake Shelton jumper, before PLU trimmed the margin to a dozen on a bucket by Michael Torbenson with 13:18 left. The lead extended to 22 points when Shelton hit a pair of free throws with under six minutes to play .
Newspaper Box Score Pacific Lutheran vs Linfield 01/21/05 8:00 p.m. at McMinnville, Ore. (Ted Wilson Gym) At McMinnville, Ore. (Ted Wilson Gym) LINFIELD 77, PACIFIC LUTHERAN 60 PACIFIC LUTHERAN (5-9, 3-2 NWC) Lipscomb, Jake 5-11 1-2 11; Torbenson, Michael 4-8 2-2 10; Cardwell, Drew 2-15 3-4 8; Sinnes, Matt 1-3 5-5 7; Stark, John 3-10 0-0 6; Carstensen, Jake 2-6 1-2 5; Jochim, Brian 1-4 2-3 4; Oliver, Kurt 1-6 0-0 3; Heidenreich, Landon 1-4 0-0 2; Ash, Gabe 1-4 0-0 2; Pederson, Andrew 1-2 0-0 2; Mehalechko, Andrew 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-74 14-18 60. LINFIELD (7-7, 3-2 NWC) Krieger, Sam 9-14 5-5 23; Lewis, Chris 5-14 2-2 14; Shelton, Blake 4-14 2-2 11; Hildebrandt, Jon 4-11 0-2 8; Hefferon, Eric 1-2 4-4 7; Mishler, Matt 1-2 2-2 4; Ellerbrook, Derek 1-2 2-2 4; Monagle, Ryan 1-4 1-2 3; Kushiyama, Casey 1-3 1-2 3; Baldwin, Andy 0-1 0-0 0; Wells, Joe 0-1 0-0 0; Taylor, Steve 0-1 0-0 0; Goodman, Jeremy 0-2 0-0 0; Murphy, Brian 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-73 19-23 77. Pacific Lutheran.............. 26 34 - 60 Linfield...................... 38 39 - 77 3-point goals-Pacific Lutheran 2-17 (Oliver, Kurt 1-5; Cardwell, Drew 1-4; Sinnes, Matt 0-1; Stark, John 0-1; Carstensen, Jake 0-3; Jochim, Brian 0-1; Mehalechko, Andrew 0-1; Torbenson, Michael 0-1), Linfield 4-20 (Lewis, Chris 2-7; Shelton, Blake 1-6; Hefferon, Eric 1-1; Goodman, Jeremy 0-1; Hildebrandt, Jon 0-5). Fouled out--Pacific Lutheran-None, Linfield-None. Rebounds-Pacific Lutheran 45 (Lipscomb, Jake 13), Linfield 57 (Lewis, Chris 13). Assists-Pacific Lutheran 9 (Heidenreich, Landon 4), Linfield 12 (Lewis, Chris 4). Total fouls-Pacific Lutheran 17, Linfield 12. A-1000