SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team hosted Linfield in a nonconference game on Saturday evening when the Falcons used a big run to open the second half to take the game 81-62.
The contest between the Falcons and Wildcats was close throughout the first half. The opening 20 minutes featured four ties and nine lead changes. SPU shot it well, going 17-for-29 from the field. SPU led Linfield 38-36 at the break.
"I thought defensively, we didn't finish some of the possessions in the first half," head coach Keffrey Fazio said. "Credit to Linfield for their shot-making ability."
Jonas La Tour and Owen Moriarty ignited the SPU offense in the first half. La Tour led the Falcons with 13 points on a 6-for-10 performance from the field. Moriarty went 4-for-8 in the first 20 minutes and finished the half with 10 points.
The Falcons pulled away from the Wildcats in the second half. Trace Evans scored six consecutive points to start a 19-9 run that lasted 5:52. He'd lead the Falcons with nine of their 19 points during the run. Moriarty poured in seven during the stretch.
The Falcons kept the Wildcats from closing in late. SPU outscored Linfield 43-26 in the final 20 minutes of the game. The Falcons gained a huge advantage on the glass, pulling 46 rebounds to Linfield's 20. SPU scored 18 second-chance points in Saturday's game.
Moriarty led all scorers with 20 points on Saturday evening. He shot an efficient 8-for-14 while adding four rebounds and four assists. It's Moriarty's third consecutive game with 20 or more points for the Falcons.
Evans' strong second half ended with 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting. He yanked down seven rebounds to go with his efficient scoring. La Tour finished with 15 points and six rebounds. Jaxon Nap scored 10 points with a game-high eight rebounds.
"In the second half, we got a lot more consecutive stops," Fazio said. "That allowed us to play a little faster, and we are best when we find that flow."
Up next for the Falcons is a trip to San Diego for the PLNU Thanksgiving Classic. They'll take on #17 Point Loma on Nov. 29 followed by a game against Vanguard on Nov. 30th. Both games tip off at 2 p.m.
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