Box Score PORTLAND, Ore. – In their final non-Cascade Collegiate Conference game and final home contest of the season before an enthusiastic crowd on Senior Night, the Multnomah University Lions fought off the Portland Bible College Wildcats 75-71 in men's basketball action Tuesday evening here at Lytle Gym.
 
After spotting the visitors an early lead on a three-pointer by Riley Anderson, the Lions took off on a 25-4 outburst that put them ahead 25-7 midway through the opening half.  Ben Grandle nailed four consecutive threes that boosted the Lions' lead from 7-5 to 19-7, and Ben Schneiders capped the rally with a four-point play, draining a three while being fouled and swishing the subsequent free throw. 
 
Seemingly ready to turn the game into a blowout, the Lions suddenly lost their grip on the ball as they committed five turnovers in a five-minute span while the Wildcats found their shooting touch.  Troy Woodward, who had made only 13 threes all season long, found the range for four treys that highlighted a 23-4 spurt, giving the Wildcats a 30-29 edge with 5:42 left in the half.  Max Upchurch came off the Multnomah bench to hit a three and a layup that gave the Lions 32-30 and 34-32 leads, and Brett Blackstock hit two driving baskets as the home team took a 38-34 lead into the break.
 
The game remained tight throughout the first 11 minutes of the second half, with three ties and eight lead changes.  PBC took its largest lead at 45-40 with 17:42 to play on a conventional three-point play by William Bratcher, while 'Nomah twice built three-point leads at 50-47 on a triple by Grandle and 52-49 on a jumper by Schneiders.  Portland Bible, which earlier in the season handed CCC champion College of Idaho a rare loss, took its final lead of 56-54 on a three by Keoni Peneueta with 9:36 left in the game. 
 
Darius Redrick tied the score with a layup 16 seconds later, then put the Lions ahead for good with two free throws at the 8:50 mark.  A layup by Beau Shockley and two Upchurch charity tosses stretched the lead to 62-56 before a Bratcher layup and a Peneueta three trimmed the margin to one at 62-61 with 5:39 to go.  The Lions pulled away with seven unanswered points over the next four minutes, however, sparked by a pair of free throws each by Blackstock and Jon Viles around a Blackstock three, and they salted the game away with a layup and a free throw by Redrick and three freebies by Upchurch in the final minute.
 
Honored in post-game ceremonies were seniors Redrick and Viles, who played two and three seasons respectively for the Lions, and graduate student DJ Ahana.
 
--- By the Numbers:  Grandle led all scorers with 19 points for Multnomah, hitting 7-of-11 from the field and 5-of-9 on threes, while Redrick added 15, Blackstock 14, and Upchurch 10.  Upchurch posted his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, including nine huge boards in the second half as the Lions held a 39-38 edge on the glass.  Redrick handed out five assists and added two steals, and Viles also had two swipes.  Multnomah shot .448 (26-58) for the game, .345 (10-29) on threes.
 
Woodward topped the Wildcats with 17 points, sinking 5-of-7 from downtown, Bratcher and Kenese Peneueta (not Keoni) added 13 each, and Anderson scored 11.  Peneueta (Kenese) had a double-double with 10 rebounds.  Cameron Jenson passed out six assists and made three steals.  The 'Cats shot .400 (28-70) for the game and .387 (12-31) on threes.
 
Multnomah improved to 8-20 on the season, winning its last two home games, while Portland Bible dipped below .500 at 12-13.
 
--- Quoting MU coach Curt Bickley: "Great night for our tremendous senior group of Jon, DJ, and Darius.  We hung in there after an emotional win on Saturday and when PBC made a great first-half run.  Max with a double-double was massive.  Now on to a big weekend with playoff hopes still alive."
 
--- Next:  Multnomah closes the regular season with two CCC road games at Evergreen State College Friday and at Northwest University Saturday, both at 7:30 p.m. … The Lions are still in the running for the eighth and final spot in the CCC Tournament, but must win both road games and root for a Warner Pacific College win over Northwest, currently in the eighth spot, on Friday … Women's CCC games will precede the men's games on Friday and Saturday, both at 5:30 p.m.