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Al Kawashima

Men's Basketball

No. 21 Warner Pacific Pulls Away to Defeat Eagles

Zach Smith led NU with 18 points
Box Score KIRKLAND, Wash. – No. 21 Warner Pacific pulled away in the second half for a 86-66 Cascade Conference victory over Northwest University on the final night of league play.

Leading by two, 46-44, at the 17:11 mark, Warner Pacific would slowly pull away from NU over the next eight minutes as Collin Malcom's transition basket would give WPC a 61-50 lead (9:53). Oleg Marandyuk's jumper at 6:27 would push the Knight's lead to 71-53. A 5-0 run including a 3-pointer by Ben Tucakovic would cut the WPC lead to 13, 71-58, but that would be the closest Northwest U would get as six turnovers and cold shooting would allow Warner Pacific to increase their lead to 80-60 with 3:40 left in the game.

Warner Pacific had taken a 43-38 lead at halftime as the teams battled back and forth in the period.

Northwest U (12-18, 8-12 CCC) was led by senior Zach Smith's 18 points with teammate Ben Tucakovic adding 17 points and 9 rebounds. Michael Dupree added 12 points for the Eagles who shot 40 percent for the game. NU won the battle of the rebounding holding a 39-37 edge.

Taylor Young led three Warner Pacific (21-8, 16-4 CCC) players in double figures with 23 points. De'Jon Bowman and Xavier Cannefax each scored 20 points for the Knights who shot 54 percent for the game after a 59 percent first half of shooting. The WPC defense forced 22 Northwest U turnovers which accounted for 34 of their 86 points.

"If there's a more talented team in our league than Warner Pacific, I don't think we've see them," commented John Van Dyke, NU head coach. "They are tough defensively and have great depth on the bench, so they don't lose a lot in skill or speed when they substitute. I'm proud of the way our guys hung with them early and battled the entire game."

The win gives Warner Pacific the No. 3 seed in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Men's Basketball Tournament presented by U.S. Bank, hosting No. 6 Eastern Oregon, while Northwest U will be the No. 8 seed and traveling to play No. 1 seed, Northwest Christian in Eugene, Ore., on Wednesday, February 24.
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Players Mentioned

Michael Dupree

#11 Michael Dupree

G
6' 1"
Junior
Ben Tucakovic

#20 Ben Tucakovic

P
6' 7"
Junior
Zach Smith

#30 Zach Smith

P
6' 5"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Michael Dupree

#11 Michael Dupree

6' 1"
Junior
G
Ben Tucakovic

#20 Ben Tucakovic

6' 7"
Junior
P
Zach Smith

#30 Zach Smith

6' 5"
Senior
P