PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Oregon men's basketball got the better of Notre Dame de Namur in a battle of hot-shooting teams on Friday, defeating the Argonauts 91-80 in the first round of the Concordia Oxford Suites Portland Classic at LCEF Court.
 
In a game that saw both sides shoot better than 45 percent from the field on the night, Western Oregon (2-0) turned a defensive corner in the second half to pull away after leading by as many as seven early on.
 
"I thought we had a good game plan going in and we executed that for the most part," said Western Oregon head coach Wes Pifer. "We came out in the first half and gave them too many open looks at the basket. Give NDNU credit for stepping up and knocking them down."
 
Both teams had a big offensive first half as the Wolves and Notre Dame de Namur (0-3) each shot better than 51 percent from the field before the break. Darius Lubom had a team-high 13 points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting for WOU while NDNU's Trevor Thompson dropped 16 in the opening 20 minutes on a 60 percent field goal mark. Thompson held push their lead out to as many as seven, keeping the Argos in front for 16 of the 20 minutes of the first half. He would finish with a game-high 27 points Friday.
 
"We played a good game, our team is very good offensively," said Lubom, who finished the night with 20 points, six assists, five steals, two rebounds and a block. "We knocked down shots and we were able to run the floor. It took us some time to get in a rhythm defensively, but the job got done. Now we just have to rest and get ready for tomorrow's game."
 
Leading 43-42 at the break, the Wolves' defense was able to drop the Argonauts' field goal shooting 10 percent and 3-point shooting 25 percent in the second half as NDNU went just 3-for-14 from beyond the arc in the second half.
 
Despite leading by just one after the first 20 minutes of play, Western Oregon did not trail in the second, even bettering their already-hot 51 percent field goal shooting to grow their lead to as many as 13 in the game.
 
"We started the game with both teams hitting shots," said sophomore center John Morrill-Keeler. "Our defensive stops weren't very good in the first half and at halftime we went into the locker room knowing what we needed to change and that's what we did coming out in the second. We were able to get stops on defense and kept up with scoring."
 
All five starters finished in double figures for the Wolves, led by the 20 points of Lubom. Morrill-Keeler contributed another 19, picking up his first official double-double with WOU by adding on 10 rebounds.
 
"Our defense is what won us the game," added Cam Cranston after his 17-point performance. "Realizing at halftime, after being down by seven, that we had to get stops was the turning point in this one. We could score at will, but we knew that our defense was going to be what carried us and ended up getting us the win."
 
Both sides took good care of the ball, committing just nine turnovers each. Western, however, pulled away in steals, swiping six total while NDNU managed only two.
 
"I'm proud of the way we battled for the full 40 minutes," said Dalven Brushier, who scored all 15 of his points from 3-point range. "There are a lot of ways we can improve from a defensive efficiency standpoint. However, we showed heart and came out on top. We are resting up and preparing for Regis tomorrow."
 
"We're sharing the basketball better and taking care of it," added Pifer after the Wolves won their second straight game to start the year. "I thought the ball found the right guys at the right time. We had some guys come up with some crucial plays down the stretch to help us get this win."
 
Next up, Western Oregon takes on Regis University in their final game of the Concordia Oxford Suites Portland Classic on Saturday, Nov. 23. Tipoff against the Rangers is set for 5 p.m. PST at LCEF Court.