Nov. 23, 2006

Box Score

Anchorage, AK - The Pacific men's basketball team improved to 2-1 with a 71-70 victory over Missouri Kansas City on Wednesday, Nov. 22 in the quarterfinal round of the Great Alaska Shooutout at Sullivan Arena. UMKC fell to 2-2.

The Tigers got off to a hot start, taking an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes. UMKC then went on an 18-2 run, holding Pacific to just one field goal over the next 10 minutes as the Kangaroos took a 20-11 lead with 6:30 left in the first half. The Tigers fought back, trailing just 29-26 at halftime.

As the second half began, Pacific kept on the comeback trail, using a 10-3 run to take a 36-35 lead with 15:12 left in the game. UMKC came right back with another run of their own, taking a 62-52 with 6:15 left. The Tigers used a 13-2 run to take a 65-64 lead with 3:06 remaining, on a three-pointer by sophomore Steffan Johnson (Kent, Wash.). Johnson hit three three-pointers in the Tiger run and Pacific would not trail again.

Johnson hit a layup to give the Tigers a 67-64 lead, but Dane Brumagin tied it with a three-pointer for UMKC with 2:08 left. A layup by Tiger sophomore Anthony Brown (Sacramento, Calif.) and a pair of free throws by Johnson gave the Tigers a 71-67 lead with just over a minute remaining. Another UMKC trey by Tim Blackwell cut the lead to one (71-70) with 43 seconds left. After an expired shot clock, UMKC had one last chance with six seconds left, but Quinton Day stepped on the sideline before he had a chance to launch a final shot.

Brown had his third career double-double to lead the Tigers, with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Johnson added 17 points for the Tigers.

Brent Stephens had 26 points to lead to Kangaroos, while Day added 22.

The Tigers will take on Loyola Marymount in the semifinal round of the Great Alaska Shootout on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. in Stockton). The game will be televised by ESPNU.