EUGENE, Ore. - Warner Pacific University got its eighth win in the last night games on Saturday night, as junior Forward Sean Gaines scored 34 points taking more than a third of the teams shots in an 80-65 victory over Northwest Christian University.
The Knights (16-4, 8-1 CCC)close out the first half of the CCC schedule in a first-place tie with No. 3 Oregon Tech, but Warner Pacific currently holds the tie-breaker with a win over the Owls earlier this season. Northwest Christian (9-12, 2-7) will head to the second half alone in eighth place as they look to return to the CCC playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Sean Gaines finished the night shooting 17-for-25 for Warner Pacific to pace the Knight offense to a 53% shooting effort in the victory. Gaines posted a double-double as he added twelve rebounds. WPC out-rebounded the Beacons 41-37 and forced 22 NCU turnovers, scoring 28 points off the miscues.
Biniam Tadele and Stephen Harris were also in double-figures for the Knights scoring ten points apiece. Dane Johnson was very active on the floor, scoring just four points but posting game-highs with nine assists and six steals.
The Beacons were led by Brian Hampton with 16 points as the senior guard went 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. Mitch Wilson concluded a strong weekend with 15 points, shooting 5-for-10 from the field and Tyler Fox came off the bench to score ten points.
Brody McGowan scored five points and led the Beacons with ten rebounds. NCU collected eight blocks on the night, getting four out of CCC-leader Greg Shepard and three from red-shirt freshman Jordan Miller. The Beacons shot 34% in the game.
Northwest Christian University will be back in action next weekend when they travel to face The Evergreen State College (1-17, 0-9) on Friday night at 7:30 pm. NCU defeated the Geoducks in the first round of conference action, 96-77.