Northwest Holds Off Evergreen in Overtime
The Evergreen State College took Northwest University to overtime Tuesday night in Costantino Recreation Center, but in the end it was the Eagles who pulled out a 93-85 Cascade Collegiate Conference men's basketball victory.
Ben Tucakovic scored 23 points to lead six players in double figures for Northwest (14-4 overall, 6-4 CCC), while Taylor Drey tallied 20 points and Shawn Spencer added a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double for the Geoducks (5-11, 2-8).
There were four ties and eight lead changes in a game that was close throughout. Northwest's largest lead of eight points came at the end, while Evergreen's biggest advantage of 11 points, 57-46, came with about nine minutes to play.
Tucakovic was the story in the early going, scoring Northwest's first 11 points and 13 of its first 15. With the Eagles big man having his way, the visitors raced out to a 7-0 lead before the Geoducks whittled away at their deficit to take a 20-19 edge on a Dustin Meade layup with 7:26 to play in the first half. Evergreen got on top, 34-29, on Drey's three ball with 1:45 left in the opening half before settling for a 34-31 halftime edge.
The Geoducks added to their lead, building the aforementioned 11-point advantage before Northwest battled back to again go on top, 67-65, on a Dak Shagren triple from the corner with 2:37 remaining in regulation.
The visitors looked to have the game with a six-point lead and 29 seconds to play, but Dustin Meade hit a three to cut Evergreen's deficit to 73-70. After Tre' Benton hit the second of two free throw opportunities, Dalton Groenewold buried a triple from the right wing with 9.0 seconds on the clock.
Benton again hit the second of two foul shots with 8.1 seconds on the clock, and Jonathan Jack-Nixon took the ball and drove the length of the court, slipping around 6-9 Paul Loranger and spinning a layup off the glass to tie the score at 75-75 with 3.0 seconds left.
That sent the game to overtime. Tucakovic scored first for Northwest, Groenewold scored a three-point play to put the hosts on top, and then Loranger scored five consecutive points to put the Eagles on top for good. Northwest shot 12-for-13 at the foul line in overtime to wrap up the victory.
Joining Tucakovic in double figures for Northwest were Michael Dupree with 15, Shagren with 14, Benton and Loranger with 13 apiece, and Justice Martion with 12. The Eagles shot 47 percent from the field and were 33-for-49 from the foul line.
In addition to Drey and Spencer, Evergreen got double figures from Groenewold with 18 and Meade with 15. Groenewold finished one rebound short of a double-double, grabbing nine boards and helping the Geoducks to a 47-39 advantage. Jarrick Mitchell led all players with seven assists.
Both teams play at Walla Walla University this coming weekend, Northwest facing the Wolves on Saturday night and the Geoducks playing them on Sunday afternoon.