MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Leading by as many as 19 points in the second half, the Pacific Lutheran University men's basketball team was unable to hold the edge against Linfield University, falling to the Wildcats, 87-84. 
 
"That was a fantastic game played by two really good teams," said PLU Head Coach Chad Murray.  "I thought we played fantastic 35 minutes or so of basketball.  Our defense in the first 15 minutes of the second half was incredible and the sole reason we were able to build a 19-point lead.  Unfortunately, the game is 40 minutes and we got really tight offensively, missing some free throws and layups that would have done wonders in holding them off.  The last two minutes were heartbreaking as we weren't able to value the basketball enough which led to some easy baskets down the stretch for Linfield and ultimately our demise.  This one is tough to swallow.  I have some work to do to make sure we can bounce back for a really tough match-up on Tuesday vs. George Fox."
 
PLU led by just two at halftime 45-43, but over the first nine minutes of the second frame, the visitors extended their advantage to 19 after Seth Hall hit a jumper at 11:11 to make it 73-54.  Playing as good a team as Linfield, it was clear the Wildcats would make a run, but leading by seven with four minutes remaining after a pair of Jordan Thomas free throws, it seemed the Lutes had weathered the storm.  However, the visitors went scoreless over the final four minutes, had two turnovers in the final minute and Sean McCurdy's game-tying three with just a few seconds remaining glanced off the back iron as the Wildcats escaped victorious.
 
Hall led the Lutes with 29 points, including 22 in the second half.  McCurdy added 16 and a team-high seven rebounds.  Sam Noland also reached double figures with 12.  Both teams shot over 50 percent from the field and the Lutes hit and incredible 10-of-15 from downtown, including 10 of their first 11.  Both teams also played a fairly clean game, combining for just 10 turnovers and PLU outrebounding the Wildcats by four.  The Lutes were menacing on the offensive glass, collecting 15 offensive rebounds. 
 
PLU has a busy week ahead with home games against George Fox University on Tuesday, Pacific University on Friday and Lewis & Clark College on Saturday.