(NAMPA, Idaho) PLNU Men's Basketball claimed the unofficial NNU Thanksgiving Classic title, defeating tournament host Northwest Nazarene on Saturday night, 73-70.
The two teams were already scheduled to play each other but after both PLNU and NNU won their games on Friday, Point Loma finishes the four-team tournament as the only squad that went 2-0 on the weekend.
"I think what you saw this weekend was a team that was hungry to grow together," Head Coach
Justin Downer said. "Everyone stepped up at different times to make a huge impact on winning."
Jake Lifgren scored 26 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
No free throws proved more important than Lifgren's pair with just seven seconds remaining in regulation, as those two put the Sea Lions up by three before the visitors forced a missed Nighthawks 3-pointer as time expired.
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Jake Lifgren's toughness to fight through sickness is inspiring," Downer said. "He's so tough and is such a steadying force for us. I'm very proud of him setting a standard of toughness for our program."
Luke Smith recorded the first double-double of his collegiate career, tying his previous career-highs with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Zack Paulsen scored in double figures for the third-straight game, adding 13 points.
The trio of Lifgren, Smith and Paulsen combined to make 11 of PLNU's 12 3-pointers in the game, as the Sea Lions shot 54.5% from behind the arc.
Defensively, PLNU limited NNU to just three triples all game at a 23.1% clip.
"What's exciting is we still have so much room to grow, but learning from wins is much more fun than the other way," Downer said.
Point Loma (4-2 overall) has a quick turnaround before taking on crosstown opponent San Diego State on Monday inside Viejas Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
"We're looking forward to getting on the I-8 East on Monday to take on the Aztecs," Downer said.
