Feb. 2, 2008

Layup at the Buzzer Lifts Lutes Past Pioneers, 78-76

Box Score

Josh Dressler - 21 points

Scott McDaniels - 14 points, 12 boards

PARKLAND, Wash. – Kyle MacTaggart made a layup with 0.6 seconds remaining to give Pacific Lutheran a 78-76 Northwest Conference men’s basketball victory over the visiting Lewis & Clark Pioneers on Saturday night in Olson Auditorium.

MacTaggart, streaking down the left side of the floor, took a pass from Josh Dressler and put the shot off the backboard. The ball hung on the front lip of the rim before falling through the net. Those two were the only points scored during the game by the PLU bench. A final desperation heave by the Pioneers didn’t come close and the Lutes (10-8 overall, 6-4 NWC) had the win.

Lewis & Clark (11-7 overall, 5-5 NWC) had tied the score at 76-76 with eight seconds left on a trio of free throws by Mark Robinowitz. The smooth-shooting guard was bumped by Landon Heidenreich and he turned and flung the ball toward the basket, drawing the three-shot foul.

For the second straight night, the Lutes started out hot, and for the second straight night it took a shot at the end to win the game. The Lutes raced out to a 21-7 lead just six minutes into the contest. Dressler opened the game with a three-point field goal and added another trey during the run, which was capped on Landon Heidenreich’s three-pointer. Lewis & Clark whittled its deficit to five points, 32-27, on David Berggren’s layup with 1:19 left on the clock, but Jared Brandeberry and Gabe Smith hit threes to give the hosts a 38-27 advantage at the intermission.

At that point, the Lutes had already blistered the nets from long range, making 8-of-17 three-point shots, while the Pioneers made just 10-of-35 from the field, including 4-of-19 from long range.

Pacific Lutheran opened up a 15-point lead at 49-34 on a layup by Heidenreich with 13:00 remaining, but the Pioneers got back into the game behind the shooting of Robinowitz and Gene Rivera. Robinowitz hit a trio of three-pointers and Rivera scored 10 of his 12 total points in the second half to lead the charge.

The Lutes never trailed in the contest, and the score was tied only twice, the first time at 3-3 and the second when Robinowitz hit his free throws to make the score 76-76. That set up MacTaggart’s game-winning shot.

All five of the PLU starters scored in double figures, led by Dressler with 21 points. Heidenreich added 17 points and Scott McDaniels had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Smith scored 13 points and Brandeberry added 11 for the winners. Heidenreich and Brandeberry both finished with five assists for Pacific Lutheran.

Robinowitz led the Pioneers with 18 points, including 5-of-9 accuracy from three-point range. Joey Toboni added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Pioneers, who also got 12 points from Rivera.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action at 8 p.m. Tuesday when it hosts the Puget Sound Loggers in Olson Auditorium.

- PLU -