PLNU Athletics

(LAKELAND, Fla.) No. 11 PLNU Men's Basketball gave No. 2 Washburn everything it could handle in a narrow 85-81 season-opening defeat on Saturday night in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
 
Point Loma scored 52 points in the second half, shooting 48.7% from the field and making nine 3-pointers.
 
Tyce Paulsen led all players with 21 points, with all seven of his made field goals coming from 3-point range, including five in the second half.
 
Back-to-back Paulsen triples got the Sea Lions to within six with 21 seconds remaining on the clock.
 
An Otto Landrum tip-in and Judson Loe 3-pointer then made it a one-possession game in the final seconds, before Washburn closed out the victory with a made free throw.
 
Jake Lifgren scored 18 points and dished out a game-high seven assists, while Andrew Hommes scored 13 points of his own.
 
Point Loma outrebounded Washburn 46-35, including 21-11 in offensive boards, leading to a 22-14 advantage in second chance points. Loe led all players with his career-high nine rebounds.
 
Landrum led the second unit with a near double-double of 12 points and eight rebounds, helping the Sea Lions outscore the Ichabods 22-13 in bench points.
 
Point Loma (0-1 overall) plays its second and final game of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET against No. 3 Gannon, the defending national champions.