FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Playing their second of a back-to-back on the west coast, the Alma College men's basketball team looked to rebound after a cold shooting night prior and round off the trip on a high note. The Scots made their presence known early though Pacific University fought back and came away with the win, 90-77
Opening play, Donovan Collins got the Scots going quick with an opening three to give Alma the first lead. Korbin Heitzman then followed up the three with a dunk to get Alma going early with momentum before the Boxers were able to score. Alma was able to build up a nine-point lead in the first three minutes of action, already correcting the mistakes from the night prior. The visitors were able to keep the offense clicking and reach their first double digit lead of the game just eight minutes in, looking to keep building upon the early success. In the first ten minutes of action, the Scots were able to match their three-point field goals from the night before, settling into the west coast play. Just as the Scots found themselves settling in, the Boxers offense was heating up and finding momentum. Pacific then put together a 22-2 over seven minutes to take their first lead of the game with just and build it up to nine with just over a minute left in the first half. Pacific would take their nine-point lead into the break as the half would end 45-36 in favor of the Boxers.
Returning to the floor, Pacific opened the half with a pair of baskets, followed by another dunk from Heitzman as the Scots looked to chip away at the deficit that came about unexpectedly as the first half winded down. The Heitzman make at the 17-minute mark was the Scots first field goal since 4:40 left in the first half. The Boxers found ways to mitigate the Scots push on offense throughout the middle frame of the second half, keeping Alma at a several possession deficit for the first ten minutes of the last 20. A quick 6-0 run from Alma would bring the Pacific lead down to seven with eight minutes left in regulation, though the Boxers responded with their own 6-0 run to bring the lead back to 13 with five left to play. Pacific would continue to cancel out the Scots offensive makes in the final minutes and hold on, sending Alma back to the Midwest with a second defeat, 90-77.
Leading the Scots in scoring was again the west coast native, Korbin Heitzman, who scored a career-high 29 on 46% shooting. Heitzman also corralled a game-high 14 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Josh Elliott also scored in the double-digits with 18, shooting 66% from deep. Logan St. Martin dished out a career high seven assists along with Heitzman adding another three-block game.
Alma will now return back to Michigan to host Westminster College (PA) on Wednesday, December 17th, inside Art Smith Arena. Game time is set for 1:00 PM for the weekday matchup.
