by Harry Cummins
On a Multnomah University basketball team brimming with shooting stars, a pair of explosive backcourt mates may have just transported the NAIA record books to another galaxy last night in Portland, Oregon.
Justin Martin and Zach Richardson scored an otherworldly 49 points each on a barrage of 3 point baskets that propelled undefeated Multnomah (5-0) to a 147-124 win over NCAA Division 3 Pacific University. Martin's 14 3's in a single game were the second most made 3's in NAIA history. Richardson, a 6 foot freshman, was close behind with 13 treys. The tandem 49 point performances represent the high water mark this season in college basketball.
It was a record-setting game that featured 38 3 point baskets by Multnomah, an all-time NAIA standard, shattering the previous mark of 29 set in 2015, also by Multnomah, earning their appropriate nickname of "3-point U". The Lions opened the game by hitting 23 of their first 37 3 point attempts on their way to posting 89 points by halftime, the 3rd highest points ever recorded in a single half in NAIA history. The two teams combined for 49 baskets from long-range, and 271 combined points, both all-time NAIA marks!
Nearly lost in the statistical onslaught were note-worthy Multnomah performances by senior Ben Grandle, junior Briggs Young and senior Brett Blackstock. Grandle recorded his 4th "double-double" in his last 5 games, scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Young, who paces the country in assists at 15 per contest, padded his lead with 18 more helpers. The stat line of the night belonged to Blackstock who made 7 3's, scored 27 points, handed out 7 assists, grabbed 6 rebounds, had 3 steals and rejected 4 shots!! Martin, Richardson and Blackstock all moved into the top 10 scorers in the nation with their efforts Saturday night. Martin nearly had a double-double with 9 assists to go with his 49 points.
The future looks bright for the Lions and their band of snipers.
They are shooting over 46% from the 3-point line for the season, making them problematic, if not impossible, to defend. They have played two exhibition games this year against NCAA Division 1 opponents and remained competitive in both contests until the final minutes. Next year the Lions will return the nations leading assist man in Young, and both 49 point scorers from last night in Richardson and Martin.
If you are planning to attend a future game on the manicured, story-book campus of Multnomah University, you also may wish to pack an NAIA record book with you. Just in case!
HC
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