NEWBERG, Ore. – Sean Atkins became the 11th player in George Fox University men's basketball history to score 36 or more points in a game, but that could not keep the Bruins from falling in their home opener to the Concordia University-Portland Cavaliers 108-99 in a non-conference shootout Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.

Two of the more prolific scoring teams in small college hoops in the early part of the season, the Bruins came in averaging 99 points a game and the Cavaliers 104, and the resultant show lived up to expectations.  Both teams shot over .500, the Bruins making 35 of 64 for a .547 percentage and the Cavs sinking 41 of 78 for a .526 mark.  The Bruins made their season average, the Cavs went four over. 

Concordia, a NAIA scholarship program, never trailed after racing out to a 7-0 lead on a layup by Thomas Pierce, two Anthony Holton free throws, and a three-pointer by Tyler Velasquez.  The Bruins finally got going on a three by A.J. Grant, climbed within two on a layup by Atkins, and tied it 11-11 on two Spencer Bolte free throws with 15:21 to go in the half.  The teams traded layups by Esvan Middleton for Concordia and Seth Brent for George Fox before the Cavs regained the lead for good on another Velasquez try to make it 1613 with 14:25 left.

The Bruins hung tough behind Atkins' 15 first-half points, but the Cavs used another 7-0 run to take their largest lead of the half at 39-28 with 5:24 to go on a traditional three-point play by Willy Ligon.  The Bruins trimmed the deficit to four at 43-39 with 2:42 to play on an Atkins jumper, but the Cavs went on an 8-2 run to close the period, taking a 41-31 bulge into intermission.

Layups by Thomas Pierce and Middleton to open the second half gave Concordia its largest lead of 14 points at 55-41, but the Bruins refused to go away as Atkins poured in 21 points in the final 20 minutes.  An 18-8 run, capped by another three by Grant, cut the Concordia lead down to four at 63-59 at the 14:12 mark, but the Cavs rebuilt a 14-point margin with a 19-9 outburst, sealed by a Middleton dunk, for an 82-68 margin with 10:28 remaining. 

Bolte hit consecutive threes to finish off a 16-6 George Fox outburst that once more sliced the Concordia advantage to four at 88-84 with 7:49 to play, but the Bruins got no closer.  A 9-2 run, completed by two Adam Herman free throws, gave the Cavs a double-digit lead again at 97-86 with 4:33 to go, and the teams did little more than swap baskets thereafter.

Atkins connected on 13-20 from the field with a three-pointer and 9-9 from the line for his career high in points, joining 10 other Bruins who had reached 36 or more a total of 15 times in the program's 109-year history.  The last Bruin to score that many in a game was guard Jack Martin, who had 37 vs. Whittier College in the Surf's Up Invitational Tournament in Honolulu, Hawai'i, on Nov. 29, 2008. 

Joining Atkins in double figures for the Bruins were Bolte with 18, Eli Graham with 16, and Grant with 10.  Atkins and Bolte also had seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a blocked shot each, tying for the team high in all four categories.  Graham likewise handed out four assists.  The Bruins were 8-21 (.381) on threes and .875 (21-24) on free throws.

Five Cavs reached double figures: Herman with 24 (including 10-10 from the line), Holton 19, Ligon 17, Middleton 15, and Pierce 11.  Pierce had a double-double with 10 rebounds and Middleton grabbed nine boards as Concordia held a 43-31 advantage on the glass.  Velasquez passed out seven assists and Pierce made five steals.  The Cavs shot 5-15 (.333) from beyond the arc and 21-31 (.677) on charity tosses.

NEXT: George Fox continues its four-game home stand Tuesday, hosting Corban University in another non-conference game at 7:30 p.m. … Concordia hosts Lewis & Clark College Saturday at 7:30 p.m.