NEWBERG, Ore. - Torching the twine to the tune of a .708 shooting percentage in the first half, the 5th-ranked George Fox University Bruins blew past the 13th-ranked University of Puget Sound Loggers 77-51 in the championship game of the Northwest Conference women's basketball Tournament Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.

With its 21st straight win, George Fox (25-2) earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament and a chance to defend its 2008-09 national championship. Puget Sound (23-4) had its eight-game winning streak snapped and must await one of the Pool C at-large bids.  The entire 64-team field and brackets will be announced by the NCAA Selection Committee Monday at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time.

Hannah Munger hit three straight layups as the Bruins opened up a 6-0 lead to start the game.  The Loggers responded with jumpers by Natasha Ludwig and Jocelyn Riordan to make it 6-4, but that was as close as the visitors would get.  A 12-2 run, capped by a Breezy Rinehart-Young layin, boosted the Bruins' lead to 18-6 with 10:38 left in the half.

Claire Ely, the Loggers' point guard who was named the Northwest Conference Player of the Year earlier in the week, tried to rally her team by hitting a three-pointer, then making a steal and layup to draw UPS within seven at 20-13 with 7:29 to go.  The Bruins retaliated with a 9-0 spurt over a two-and-a-half minute span for a 29-13 margin, and closed the period by out-scoring the Loggers 15-7 in the final five minutes for a 44-20 halftime lead.

George Fox connected on 17-of-24 in the half, with Munger doing the primary damage, making 7-of-8 for 14 first-half points.  Included was a 6-of-9 accuracy from beyond the arc by the Bruins.  Puget Sound was held to 7-of-29 from the floor, a .241 mark, and only 1-of-8 from long range.

The Bruins kept the lead above 20 by hitting five of their first six shots in the second half, raising their percentage to .733, before finally slowing down.  Their largest margin was 30 points at 58-28 with 13:47 left following a short shot by Rinehart-Young.  UPS made a belated run at the Bruins at that point with an 11-0 outburst that cut the gap to 19 at 58-39 with 7:53 remaining, but it was the Loggers' last gasp.  Another 11-2 run by the Bruins made it 69-41 with 5:17 left and secured the Bruins' fourth straight trip to the national tournament, fifth in six seasons, and seventh in 11 years of NCAA eligibility.

Elise Kuenzi paced the Bruins with 17 points, Munger posted her seventh double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Keisha Gordon added 13 points.  The Bruins finished with a .591 shooting percentage (26-44), hitting 9-of-18 on threes, and out-rebounded the Loggers 38-30.  Kuenzi had a game-high five assists.

Riordan with 13 points and Kelsey McKinnis with 11 led the Loggers, who managed only a .254 shooting mark (16-63) and just 3-of-16 on threes.  Riordan, Ely, and Sha'Ran Lowe had three assists each.

NOTES: George Fox has won seven straight against Puget Sound ... The Bruins and Loggers have met for the last four NWC Tournament titles, with George Fox winning three ... The Bruins have now won 37 consecutive games against NWC competition, counting NWC Tourney and NCAA tournament games ... Bruin seniors B.B. Gardner, Elise Kuenzi, and Lindsay Keener have played in 101 George Fox victories during their four seasons ...