PORTLAND, Ore. - The Multnomah Lions concluded the calendar year in emphatic fashion, defeating their cross-town rival Warner Pacific University 79-60 on Monday evening at Lytle Gym. With this win, the Lions completed a season sweep of the Knights in conference play and improved to a 9-2 overall record (5-1 CCC).

"Warner Pacific gave us everything they had in the first half, shooting on a high percentage and making it difficult for us to finish at the rim," shared head coach Tayo Gem. "Similarly to our first matchup with them, I challenged the guys at halftime to increase their level of competitiveness, which they did right out of the gate in the second half. Regardless of the outcome, our goal coming into this game was to see if we had done the things that we needed to do to be a better basketball team than when we first played back in November. Although there continues to be areas where we can grow, we showed tonight that we are a much better team that is continuing to grow together."

The Lions pulled away in the second half after trailing by one at halftime, outscoring the Knights 46-26 in the final period. A surge in shooting accuracy led the charge, with Multnomah converting 55.2% of their field goals in the second half, including a red-hot 64.3% from beyond the arc.

Marje Windfield led the Lions with a stellar performance, posting 17 points on 5-for-11 shooting, including three three-pointers, and added three assists and a steal. Keilan Torkornoo provided a strong presence in the paint, tallying 15 points, nine rebounds, and a block. Noah McCord also delivered a well-rounded effort with 15 points, seven rebounds, and two steals.

The Lions' defense and rebounding prowess played a significant role in the victory, holding the Knights to 40.4% shooting and out-rebounding them 33-21. The Lions capitalized on turnovers, scoring 15 points off Warner Pacific's miscues, and dominated second-chance opportunities with 20 points.

The Knights were led by Matt Solomon, who came off the bench to score a team-high 18 points. Terrin Dickey and Sean Johnson added 12 and 11 points, respectively, but Warner Pacific could not keep pace with the Lions' second-half explosion.

• Multnomah Shooting: 45.2% FG, 40.0% 3PT, 47.6% FT
• Warner Pacific Shooting: 40.4% FG, 44.4% 3PT, 64.3% FT
• Rebounds: Multnomah 33, Warner Pacific 21
• Points in the Paint: Multnomah 36, Warner Pacific 30
• Points Off Turnovers: Multnomah 15, Warner Pacific 8

The Lions now head into the new year with significant momentum as they continue to make their mark in conference play. This weekend at home, Multnomah will face off against Lewis-Clark State and Walla Walla University.