Schmick was 16-16 from the free throw line, setting a new Bruin record for field goal percentage in a game and tying the record for most free throws made in a game. The old free throw percentage mark was 13-13 by Justin Paola vs. Western Oregon on Feb. 12, 1994, while Kenny Stone canned 16 free throws out of 19 attempts in a game vs. the College of Idaho (now Albertson College) on Jan. 28, 1987.
A three-point play by Scott Szalay and a pair of free throws and a three-pointer by Schmick carried the Bruins to an early 8-2 lead, but then the offense went ice-cold, scoring only one field goal and a pair of free throws over the next 10 minutes. The Wildcats got hot at the same time, scoring 22 points to take a 24-12 lead with 7:50 to go. The teams spent the rest of the half trading baskets before a three by Phil Heu-Weller and two more free throws by Schmick enabled the Bruins to cut the halftime margin to 42-36.
Schmick led the Bruins in the half with 13 points and Heu-Weller had 10, but the Bruins managed only a 31.3% (10-32) from the field. Steve Taylor paced the Wildcats with 14 points, going 4-4 from three-point range, and Ryan Monagle had 12. Linfield shot 43.2% (16-37).
An 8-3 run to open the second half, capped by an Eric Hefferon three-pointer, pushed the Linfield lead back to 11 at 50-39 with 14:51 left before the Bruins made a run to get within five. With Schmick scoring six of the points, the Bruins out-scored the Wildcats 8-2 in a two-minute span to cut the deficit to 52-47 with 12:53 to play. The Wildcats responded, however, with an 8-0 outburst to bump the margin back up to 13 at 60-47 with 11:00 left, and the Bruins got no closer than seven the rest of the way. The Wildcats connected on 13-14 free throws in the last six minutes to maintain their lead.
Schmick totaled 25 points and Heu-Weller scored 13, but the Bruins’ final shooting mark of 33.9% (20-59) was their worst of the year. Szalay led the Bruins on the boards with 11, but Linfield overwhelmed the visitors on the boards 44-32, including 16 offensive rebounds. Brent Satern had 5 assists and 4 steals.
Monagle with 20 points, Taylor with 19, and Matt McGowan with 17 paced the Wildcats, while Jackson Baber pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds. Monagle had 7 assists.
George Fox (9-4, 3-2 NWC) goes to Lewis & Clark College Friday, while Linfield (5-9, 2-3 NWC) visits Willamette University Saturday for conference games. Tipoff for both is at 8 p.m., following NWC women’s games at 6 p.m.
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
George Fox vs Linfield
01/10/06 8:00 pm at Ted Wilson Gym, McMinnville, Ore.
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VISITORS: George Fox 9-4, 3-2 NWC
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
20 Melvin, Ben......... f 2-11 1-4 0-0 1 0 1 1 5 4 1 0 1 27
23 Heu-Weller, Phil.... f 5-15 2-8 1-2 1 4 5 2 13 1 1 1 0 34
42 Szalay, Scott....... c 3-8 0-0 1-1 4 7 11 2 7 1 2 3 1 26
05 Schmick, Aaron...... g 4-10 1-5 16-16 0 0 0 2 25 2 1 0 0 36
24 Satern, Brent....... g 3-7 0-0 3-4 0 3 3 1 9 5 1 0 4 30
03 Mansfield, Nate..... 2-3 2-3 2-2 2 0 2 3 8 0 1 0 1 26
31 Strutz, Brady....... 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 12
33 Parker, Chris....... 1-3 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 4 4 0 1 0 0 9
Team................ 4 4 8
Totals.............. 20-59 6-21 25-27 12 20 32 15 71 13 9 6 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-32 31.3% 2nd Half: 10-27 37.0% Game: 33.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 5-13 38.5% 2nd Half: 1-8 12.5% Game: 28.6% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 11-11 100 % 2nd Half: 14-16 87.5% Game: 92.6% 1
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HOME TEAM: Linfield 5-9, 2-3 NWC
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
21 Murphy, Brian....... f 1-6 0-2 0-0 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 16
22 Monagle, Ryan....... f 7-20 2-5 4-5 3 4 7 3 20 7 0 0 0 35
52 Van Loon, Michael... c 2-6 0-2 0-0 0 2 2 2 4 0 1 0 0 14
12 Smith, Khaatim...... g 2-4 1-3 0-0 0 2 2 1 5 1 3 0 1 13
32 Taylor, Steve....... g 6-8 4-4 3-4 0 6 6 3 19 2 6 0 0 36
03 Goodman, Jeremy..... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 9
13 Mishler, Matt....... 0-3 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
24 Hefferon, Eric...... 2-3 2-3 0-0 0 1 1 2 6 0 2 0 0 16
35 McGowan, Matt....... 5-6 0-0 7-8 3 1 4 3 17 1 1 0 1 26
40 Baber, Jackson...... 2-4 0-0 4-4 7 9 16 3 8 1 1 3 0 32
TEAM................ 2 1 3
Totals.............. 27-61 9-22 18-21 16 28 44 21 81 13 15 4 4 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 16-37 43.2% 2nd Half: 11-24 45.8% Game: 44.3% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 7-17 41.2% 2nd Half: 2-5 40.0% Game: 40.9% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 3-5 60.0% 2nd Half: 15-16 93.8% Game: 85.7% 1
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Officials: Kevin Brill, Don Wescott, Bob Rose
Technical fouls: George Fox-Szalay, Scott. Linfield-TEAM.
Attendance: 650
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
George Fox.................... 36 35 - 71
Linfield...................... 42 39 - 81