BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – Despite holding the fourth highest scoring offense in the Cascade Collegiate Conference nearly 30 points below its average, Corban's men's basketball team could not pull off the upset falling to the NAIA's No. 8-ranked Warner Pacific, 56-49, Friday inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.

With tonight's result, Corban falls to 11-9 overall and 3-5 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action. Meanwhile, Warner Pacific pushes its winning streak to three games that includes seven victories in its past eight games to improve to 15-4 overall and 7-1 in league games.

Sophomore Jordan Carter and senior Erik Cronrath led the Warriors with 13 points each, while junior Jacob Kopra chipped in with 12 points and a game-high tying 11 rebounds. The duo of Carter and Cronrath combined to shoot 9-for-27 from the field, while Kopra was 4-for-10 shooting and junior Dustin Moore added a season-high eight points and eight rebounds.

After knotting the game at 2-2 in the first minute of the game, Corban watched as Warner Pacific used an 8-0 run en route to taking an eight-point lead (10-2) following a Biniam Tadele jumper with 17:12 left. Over the next five minutes, Corban would battle back to take a two-point lead (16-14) via a 14-4 run that was capped by an old-fashion three-point play by Cronrath at the 12:26 mark. Both teams would battle back and forth for the remainder of the half, as the host Warriors took a slim two-point lead (31-29) into the locker room at halftime.

The second half would begin with Corban using a 4-0 run to grab a six-point lead (35-29) on a Carter jumper with 19:04 on the clock. After securing another six-point lead (37-31) on a Kopra tip-in with 16:46 on the clock, Corban fell victim to a 17-4 run by Warner Pacific that resulted in a seven-point lead (48-41) for the visiting Knights thanks to a Ryan Parks jumper at the 7:31 mark. The nationally-ranked Knights would continue to hold the lead at 50-44 with just over three minutes remaining until Corban used a 5-2 run that pulled the Warriors within three points (52-49) on a pair of Carter free throws with 83 seconds on the clock. Unfortunately that is the closest Corban would get, as Warner Pacific closed the game on a 4-0 run thanks to timely defense and free throw shooting for the seven-point win (56-49).

Warner Pacific was led offensively by William Sharp with a game-high 14 points, while Sean Gaines was the only other Knight in double figures with 11 points. Stephen Harris would tie all players with a game-high 11 rebounds, while also handing out a game-high five assists.

As a team, Corban combined to shoot 17-for-58 (29.3%) from the field to go along with a 6-for-30 (20.0%) showing from beyond the three-point line and a 9-for-13 (69.2%) performance at the free throw line. On the other hand, Warner Pacific was 23-for-56 (41.1%) from the field, 3-for-17 (17.6%) from long distance, and 7-for-10 (70.0%) at the charity stripe.

Corban will return to the hardwood tomorrow night – Saturday, January 14th – against conference rival Concordia beginning at approximately 7:30 p.m. inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center in Salem.

NOTE: At halftime, the 2012 Hall of Fame class that includes head coach Justin Sherwood will be recognized following induction festivities from earlier in the day.