NEWBERG, Ore. --- The George Fox men's basketball team earned their first NWC win of the 2020-21 season at home with a thrilling 106-102 comeback victory over Linfield.

How It Happened

The Wildcats got off to the better shooting start in the opening half and built a slim lead that they would take into the locker room at the half. After the halftime intermission, the Bruins' superior conditioning and tactical adjustments began to surface almost immediately.

Aided by dead-eye shooting from players like Zach Schmerber and James Moore, the Bruins swiftly turned a blank point deficit into and blank lead. through a combination of continued ball pressure, excellent player and ball movement on their offense of end, and a sustained hot streak from the three-point arc, the Bruins knotted it up with 10 minutes left and then out-ran the Wildcats in a sprint to the finish.

The Wildcats gave it their best effort to spoil the Bruins home opener in the final minutes, but George Fox hit its free throws and rebounded well to close out the game. The pace took the Wildcats' legs in the second half, as evidenced by their 3-for-13 performance from deep in the frame.

Top Performers

Ryan Lacey led his teammates with 25 points as six Bruins finished in double figures. Schmerber (18) canned six of his eight triples, Charlie Powers (18) made his presence felt throughout the night, Moore added 12, and Kalu Stricklin and JD Ahlstrom each chipped in 10.

Jackson Januik kept the offense organized with eight dimes and came up with the team's only block of the night in addition to his playmaking.

Their Thoughts

"Proud of our guys and happy for them," was coach Maco Hamilton's first reaction afterwards. "This feeling was a long time coming and I'm glad we could experience it! We look forward to competing against them tomorrow night!"

What It Means

George Fox improves to 1-4 overall and in NWC action, while the Wildcats start their season 0-1 in both categories.

What Happens Next

The two teams will finish the weekend home-and-away series in McMinnville on Saturday, March 20, with a 6 PM tip-off.