MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Corban University men's basketball team erased a 14-point second-half deficit and briefly tied the contest late, but NCAA DIII Linfield University answered down the stretch to hand the Warriors a 74-67 setback on Tuesday evening inside Ted Wilson Gymnasium. The loss dropped Corban to 1-2 on the young season, while the Wildcats picked up the victory in their dual season/home opener.
"A second poor shooting performance in the first half put us in an early hole that we just couldn't completely erase," shared Warriors' head coach Wayne Mendezona. "The team responded well in the second half, but it wasn't enough as some critical decision making and possessions hurt us as well. We're still trying to get our new roster melding well with each other, and some continuity plus everyone getting back to full strength will benefit us down the road. I was very proud of the defensive intensity in the fight that they showed, especially in the second half."
Corban found itself in an early hole after a challenging offensive first half. The Warriors shot just 20.0% from the floor over the opening 20 minutes, allowing Linfield to build a 28-18 advantage at the break. The Wildcats stretched the margin to 14 points early in the second half following a trio of three-pointers and led 37-23 with 17:30 to play.
Rather than fold, the Warriors mounted their best surge of the young season. Behind a balanced attack from redshirt senior guard Clyde Harris Jr., junior forward Lincoln Satterthwaite, sophomore guard Landon Knox, and freshman guard Ethan Inocencio, Corban chipped away at the deficit and eventually pulled even at 49-49 on a Harris Jr. three-pointer with 9:37 remaining.
The teams traded blows throughout the next several possessions, with redshirt senior center TJ Zimmermann knotting the game once again at 51-51 with 8:50 left. After Linfield regained a three-point edge moments later, Satterthwaite converted a putback to bring Corban within one at 54-53, but the Wildcats answered with timely baskets and outside shooting to maintain control during the closing minutes.
Harris Jr. led the Warriors with 14 points while adding nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Satterthwaite fell one rebound shy of his first double-double of the season with 10 points and nine rebounds. Zimmermann contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Inocencio added nine points, six rebounds, and two assists. Knox provided a spark off the bench with seven points, and junior forward Bobby Williams delivered a strong opener in his first contest as a Warrior by tallying 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double in 31 minutes played.
Despite shooting just 36.5% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range, the Dubs controlled several key statistical categories. Corban outrebounded Linfield 44-34, owned a commanding 20-4 advantage in second-chance points, and received 23 points from its bench compared to just six for the Wildcats.
Linfield was paced by Gavin Perdue's 17 points, while Max Juhala and Kohsuke Fujiwara added 14 points apiece. Nalu Vargas nearly posted a triple-double, recording 13 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists for the Wildcats.
The Warriors will look to bounce back this upcoming Friday in an exhibition matchup at NCAA DI Eastern Washington University (0-3), with tipoff scheduled for 6pm in Cheney, Washington. The matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available on multiple over-the-top streaming platforms.
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