Box
Score
NEWBERG, Ore. – Scoring the first six points of the
game and building up a double-digit lead in less than six minutes,
the 17th-ranked University of Puget Sound Loggers took control
early and cruised to an 87-60 win over the George Fox University
Bruins in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game
Saturday here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.
A basket and two free throws by Jason Foster and a layup by Antwan
Williams gave the Loggers a 6-0 lead two-and-
a-half minutes into the game before a three-pointer by Alex
Stockner got the Bruins on the board. The
Loggers soon used an 11-0 run, capped by a three from Robert
Krauel, to turn a slim 10-5 advantage into 21-5 with 13:19 left in
the half. Shooting .515 from the field for the period (17-33) while
holding the Bruins to .296 (8-27) and forcing 17 turnovers, the
visitors pushed the margin to as much as 29 twice before settling
for a 46-21 halftime lead.
The second half was mostly a case of running out the clock, as the
Loggers never led by less than 19 points. A
layup by Stockner, two of his 10 second-half points, brought the
Bruins to their closest point in the half at 49-30 with 17:26 to
play. The Loggers twice held 32-point leads, the
last at 84-52 with 3:25 left on a jumper by Kaleb Shelton.
Stockner finished with a game-high 16 points for the Bruins and
Grant Vahalla came off the bench for a career-high 14, 13 in the
second half. Stockner had eight rebounds and
Travis Toedtemeier and Bryan O'Connell had seven each as the
Bruins outboarded the Loggers 46-41. Brady
Strutz and Jack Martin handed out four assists
each. The Bruins improved their touch in the
second half but still wound up with figures of .367 (22-60) from
the field, .250 (4-16) from three-point range, and .522 (12-23)
from the line. They also committed 27 turnovers.
Foster led the Loggers with 16 points, 11 in the first half, and
Krauel tallied 14, nine in the opening period.
Austin Boyce was the top UPS rebounder with eight, while Williams
passed out five assists. The Loggers played 18
players, 13 of whom scored. The visitors cooled
off some in the second half but still managed to hit .460 (29-63)
from the floor, .421 (8-19) from beyond the arc, and .656 (21-32)
from the stripe.
George Fox (4-9, NWC 0-4) hosts Pacific University Tuesday while
Puget Sound, now alone in first place in the conference after
Linfield College upset Whitworth University 88-79, visits Whitworth
Friday. Both games are at 8:00 p.m. following
NWC women's games at 6:00 p.m.
