WBSK: Top-Seeded Bruins to Host #4 Seed Lewis & Clark in NWC Tourney Game Thursday

NEWBERG, Ore. - Beginning defense of their 2009 Northwest Conference Women's Basketball Tournament title, the George Fox University Bruins will host the Lewis & Clark College Pioneers in one of two 2010 NWC Tournament semi-final games this Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7:00 p.m. in the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.

Tickets for all tournament games at George Fox will be $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for students, children 12 and under, and seniors 55 and up.  NWC passes are the only passes which are valid for this tournament; regular season passes will not be accepted.  Students who attend the schools which are participating in each particular tournament game will be admitted free with a valid college ID; faculty and staff will need to purchases tickets.  For more ticket information, contact the Bruin athletics department at 503-554-2910.

The Bruins, who are 23-2 overall, are the No. 1 seed in the four-team tournament by virtue of their 16-0 conference record, the second straight unbeaten NWC season for them.  The Pioneers are 16-9 overall and finished 10-6 in the league, tied with the Whitworth University Pirates (14-11 overall) for third place.  Whitworth got the No. 3 seed by sweeping its series with fifth-place Whitman College while Lewis & Clark was splitting with the Missionaries, so the Pirates will travel to the No. 2 seed University of Puget Sound (22-3, NWC 14-2) Thursday, also at 7:00 p.m.

The championship game is set for Saturday, Feb. 27, at 7:00 p.m. at the site of the highest-remaining seed after Thursday's games.  The NWC Tournament champion receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament, which the Bruins earned last year with a 67-58 victory over Puget Sound that propelled them to a 32-0 record and the D-III national championship.

Live stats, live internet audio from campus station KFOX radio, and live video streaming via Stretch Internet will be provided for all George Fox home tournament games at the following links:

Live Stats: http://athletics.georgefox.edu/livestats/index

Live Audio: http://www.georgefox.edu/offices/asc/kfoxradio/

Live Video: http://secure.stretchinternet.com/demo/games.php?user=georgefox&o=cal_stamp&sd=today

George Fox is ranked No. 5 in both the WBCA and D3hoops national polls after winning their fourth straight conference crown and seventh overall (the Bruins have been outright champions in 20001, 2005, 2009, and 2010, and shared titles in 2000, 2007, and 2008).  The Bruins have won 35 straight games against NWC teams in the regular season, and 35 in a row against NWC foes in all games including conference tournament and NCAA Tournament games.