Eugene, Ore. | A poor shooting performance doomed the Warner Pacific University Men's Basketball team (9-11, 5-7) on Friday night, as they returned to the hardwood for the first time since a university-wide COVID-19 pause prevented the Knights from suiting up over the last two weeks, falling to the Bushnell University Beacons (6-14, 4-9) by a final score of 51-68.
 
After the Beacons jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead over the Warner Pacific, the Knights started to make up for their early missed field goals, and found themselves down just one point at the first media timeout. Seeing as this was the first time Warner Pacific has played a conference opponent in almost three weeks, there was bound to be some rust that the Knights needed to work out as a unit.
 
WPU took their first lead of the game not even a minute later, as freshman guard Nigel McKay knocked down a three-pointer to put the Knights ahead 14-12 with just over 11 minutes left in the first half. However, Bushnell's Isaac Girley answered with a three of his own the following play by McKay, leading to a first half back-and-forth battle between the Knights and Beacons at the Morse Center Friday night.
 
McKay and senior center Christian Hodge had the inside-out offensive working beautifully for WPU in the first half, as McKay hit three of his four three-point attempts to lead the team with nine points with ball still to be played in the first period of play. All the while, Hodge had put away eight points in the paint for the Knights with under three minutes to play in the half, looking at a 27-26 point lead for Warner Pacific.
 
Only a couple of baskets would separate these squads the remainder of the half, with the Knights and Beacons knotted at 29 points apiece heading into the halftime break. McKay stood on a pedestal of his own in the first half, being the only player on both sides of the ball to score in double-digits (11) through the first 20 minutes of play.
 
Bushnell's Girley paced the Beacons in first half scoring with nine points, while Oregon State University transfer Keishon Dawkins had six points and five rebounds in just his third game of the season thus far for BU.
 
Back-and-forth these teams went to open the second half, locked at 34 points each with five minutes played in the last half. Dawkins continued to be a physical presence for the Beacons that Warner Pacific just could not find an answer for, as he claimed an early double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds with 15 minutes remaining in the game.
 
What both squads lacked in offense was made up for in defense, as either side nearing the midway point of the second half scored only two more points each. 14 total points were scored in nine minutes and 16 seconds following the locker room break, leading to a low scoring affair between the Knights and Beacons.
 
Bushnell would go on to take advantage of Dawkins career night and first game at home for the Beacons, as they stretched an unprecedented run to the first double-digit lead of the game with just over six minutes of play remaining. That lead would get stretched to 17 points with under five minutes left in the game, as Warner Pacific became unable to answer basket-for-basket with Bushnell.
 
A late 22-2 run by the Beacons would prove to be the difference maker tonight, as the Knights cold shooting performance late in the second half proved to be too great an obstacle to overcome. With under three minutes to play, senior forward Miles Brown connected on a three-pointer to end the drought, and the proceeding offensive play for the Beacons would end in their first missed scoring possession since the 10 minute mark, showing exactly how efficient Bushnell had been down the stretch.
 
Warner Pacific's McKay finished with a team-high 15 points, scoring on 50% of his field goals to pace the Knights' offense for the evening. Hodge was the only other Knight to finish in double-figures, ending his night with 10 points and four rebounds, along with a team-high three assists.
 
The short Beacon's roster was led all night long by Dawkins, who ended with a respectable double-double of 17 points and 15 rebounds from dominating the paint at will. Four of five Bushnell starters finished in double-digits for scoring, along with Girley who came off the bench to finish with 13 points and seven rebounds.
 
Warner Pacific Men's Basketball will look to bounce back tomorrow night, as they will faceoff with the Corban University Warriors in Salem, Ore. at 5:00pm PDT, following the conclusion of the Warner Pacific Women's Basketball contest with Corban.