By: Jake Bienvenue

NEWBERG --- The No. 12-ranked George Fox women's basketball team hosted Whitworth in a Friday night Northwest Conference matchup, turning in a dominant performance to earn a commanding 78-57 victory.

Recap:

Emily Holder had the hot hand early, scoring the Bruins' first five points to give the home team a 5-4 lead early on.

The George Fox defense was locked in for the first quarter, harassing the opposition throughout to hold the Pirates to a measly five points in the opening frame. The Bruins capped off the quarter on a 15-1 run, leading 20-5 on the back of six points from Tavin Headings and five from Holder.

The Bruins stayed on the gas pedal in the second quarter, rattling off an impressive 13-0 run which included an additional six points from the scorching hot Headings. The Pirates did not get their first bucket until almost five minutes into the period.

Again, the Bruin defense clamped down on their conference opponent, holding the Pirates to just nine points in the second period. The home team came away with nine steals in the second quarter and they led 39-14 at the halftime break.

Hailey Hartney scored four points out of the gate to kick-start the Bruins in the second half.

The Pirates were able to trade buckets with George Fox through much of the third quarter, including back-to-back threes toward the back end of the period, but the home team stayed two steps ahead as a host of Bruins were able to match the scoring output of Whitworth.

The Bruins outscored the Pirates 23-20 in the penultimate quarter on 9-14 shooting from the field.

The final quarter saw much of the same, as the rock-solid Bruin rotation was able to keep the lead secure. They went 6-12 in the fourth to win a game that was never truly in contention, 78-57.

Top Performers:

Headings paced the team in scoring with 18. Spencer found her way into double-digits as well, scoring 12 points to go along with seven assists and three steals. Three other players—Hartney, Holder and Haley Strowbridge—narrowly missed double-figures in the contest. The Bruins shot over 50% from the field and over 40% from three in the contest.

What It Means:

The Bruins remain a perfect 5-0 in conference play and move to 12-2 on the season.

What Comes Next:

The Bruins host Whitman in a conference matchup Saturday, Jan. 12, at 4:00 pm.