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Salem

About the 2001 Division III
men's basketball tournament

Linfield 85, California Lutheran 66
McMINNVILLE, Ore. — Linfield recovered from one of its worst starts to a game this season and ran away from California Lutheran 85-66 in a first round NCAA Division III playoff game Thursday night.

The Northwest Conference champion Wildcats (21-5) now travel to play league rival Lewis & Clark in Saturday's second round. The winner advances to the Division III's Sweet 16.

Cal Lutheran (19-7) was never the same after star Justin Muth injured his ankle midway throug the second half. The champions of the Southern California Intercollegiate Conference got a good start, but could handle Linfield's fast-paced tempo.

The Wildcats' all-everything guard Grant Ebright led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds despite fouling out with 10 minutes left to play.

Linfield missed 13 of its first 14 shots to start the game, including seven straight misses, and fell behind 11-2 in the first five minutes.

Back-to-back baskets by Ebright sparked an 8-0 run, pulling the Wildcats to within five, 14-9. Matt Schmidt's 3-point bomb moved Linfield closer, 16-14, then Ian Hartman gave the 'Cats their first lead of the game with a 3-pointer from the left side. Another Hartman 3-pointer followed by Evan Wilson's 3-point play punctuated a 10-2 Linfield run, putting the 'Cats in front by 10, 28-18. The Kingsmen cut the lead to two on Richard Iskenderian's 3-pointer, but Rob Emerson's floater in the lane with five seconds to go gave Linfield a 40-36 halftime advantage.

The Wildcats cashed in 13 points from 17 first-half Cal Lutheran turnovers. For the half, the Wildcats recovered from their slow start to shoot .326 (14-for-43) while the Kingsmen shot .500 (11-for-22).

The Kingsmen made one of their first seven shots to start the second half as Linfield opened up a nine-point cushion. But Ebright, the Northwest Conference's Player of the Year, was forced to retreat to the bench at the at the 14:40 mark after being whistled for his fourth foul.

The 6-foot-9 Muth, who came into the contest averaging 20 points a game, left the floor in obvious pain after twisting his left ankle with 12:20 to play. He was CLU's best hope of an upset, having scored 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds to that point. After his jumper with 10:20 left extended the Wildcats' lead to 59-42, Ebright fouled out of the contest with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Muth returned to the game with 9:40 to go, but attempted only one field goal the rest of the way. By the time he returned to action, the Wildcats were back to playing Linfield basketball, running the floor, making steals and inciting the crowd. Muth finished with a game-high 22 points and nine rebounds. Victor Esquer added 17 points.

Hartman had 14 points and six rebounds for the Wildcats. Jones added a dozen points and Scott Turner had 10. Linfield was again without all-conference point guard O.J. Gulley, who has missed the last two contests with a leg injury.
In all, the Kingsmen committed 34 turnovers, the most by a Linfield opponent this season. CLU shot 45.7% for the game, Linfield shot 36.2%.

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