Jan. 8, 2008 (Revised Jan. 10, 2008)

Lutes Take No. 9-Ranked Loggers to Double OT Before Losing

Scott McDaniels - 37 points

Kyle MacTaggart - 22 points

Box Score

TACOMA, Wash. - Despite a record-setting 41-point effort by Scott McDaniels, the No. 9-ranked Puget Sound Loggers pulled out a dramatic 125-116 double-overtime victory over the Pacific Lutheran Lutes in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game played Tuesday evening at Memorial Fieldhouse.

McDaniels, a senior post from Sammamish, set a new PLU men's basketball record with 18 field goals (in 24 attempts), breaking the former record of 17 set by Dan Gibbs against Whitworth on Jan. 25, 1986. In addition, two Pacific Lutheran single-game scoring records were broken. The teams combined for 241 points, erasing the former record of 234 set in 2001 when Linfield defeated PLU, 119-115, in overtime. With 116 points, the Lutes also set a record for most points scored in a losing cause.

McDaniels' record-setting performance wasn't official until Thursday, two days following the game. After the Tuesday night contest, the statistics sheet showed McDaniels with 37 points on 16 field goals. A review of game film and a check of the official scorebook showed that two field goals previously given to PLU's Jared Brandeberry, who wears No. 31, should have gone to McDaniels, who wears No. 32.

If indeed the Loggers are the ninth best Division III team in the country, an argument could be made that the Lutes are the 10th best because they not only hung with the Loggers, they outplayed them for long stretches.

The Lutes (6-5 overall, 2-1 in conference) put the pressure on the Loggers (10-1, 3-0 in conference) from the beginning, leading by as much as 10 points on five different occasions in the first half. Though hobbled by a sore left foot, Jared Brandeberry scored 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the opening half, including a trio of long three-point baskets. McDaniels had his way inside, scoring 20 points in the period. The Lutes took their final 10-point lead at 57-47 on Gregory Bogdan's layup with 44 seconds left in the half. A final three-point shot by Antwan Williams made the halftime score 57-50 in favor of the Lutes.

The Lutes continued their outstanding play in the second half and led by as much as 14 points on two occasions, the final time at 84-70 on Kyle MacTaggart's jumper with 11:20 remaining in the game. Robert Krauel scored nine points during a 16-2 Puget Sound surge, however, and Krauel's layup knotted the game at 86-86 with 6:58 remaining.

Krauel, who scored 23 of his team-high 33 points in the second half and overtime, hit a jumper 29 seconds later to give the Loggers an 88-86 advantage, their first since leading 6-5 at the 18:41 mark of the first period. MacTaggart responded with a three-pointer, and the teams battled to a 100-100 draw at the end of regulation.

Puget Sound never trailed in the first overtime as Krauel hit three free throws to put his team ahead 103-100, but the Lutes hung in there and finally tied the game at 110-110 on a fastbreak layup by Josh Dressler with 12 seconds to play. When Puget Sound's Antwan Williams missed a three-point shot at the buzzer, the game went to a second overtime.

PLU finally ran out of bullets in that period as the Loggers held the Lutes scoreless for more than four minutes while scoring nine straight points to take a 119-110 lead. The Lutes were not able to close their deficit to less than seven points in the final minute, and the exciting game came to an end.

In scoring his 41 points, McDaniels moves into a fourth-place tie on the PLU single-game scoring list with PLU Hall of Famers Chuck Curtis and Tom Whalen. McDaniels also was credited with 12 rebounds to lead all players in that category. Kyle MacTaggart added 22 points before fouling out in overtime while Brandeberry scored all 15 of his points in the first half before being slowed by recurring pain from a foot injury. Dressler added 16 points for the Lutes while playing all but one minute, and Landon Heidenreich had nine assists before fouling out, also in overtime.

Krauel led the Loggers with 33 points followed by Antwan Williams with 32 and Jason Foster with 29.

The Lutes made 45-of-82 shots from the field, good for 55 percent, while the Loggers were 46-of-82, or 56 percent. Puget Sound outscored the Lutes by nine points at the foul line, 26-17, which ended up being the difference.

Pacific Lutheran returns to Northwest Conference action at 8 p.m. Saturday when it hosts the Willamette Wildcats at Olson Auditorium.

- PLU -