NEWBERG, Ore. --- Fresh off a tough overtime loss to Pacific Lutheran on Tuesday, the Bruins returned home and avenged an earlier loss to Puget Sound with a 70-59 win at home to bounce back.
How it Happened:
After a strong defensive first half, the score going into halftime was 35-32 in favor of the Loggers. With roughly 3 minutes to go in the first half, the Loggers held a commanding 31-22 lead which they had built up throughout the half with solid play on both sides of the ball. However, as the final minutes of the half began to expire, the Bruins caught fire and outscored the Loggers 10-4, heading into the second half down only three.
After hitting a couple crucial shots to start the half, the Bruins managed to claw their way into the lead early in the second half. This pattern continued as each team continued to strike blows back-and-forth throughout the half. As the final minutes began to wind down, the Bruin's Kade Sorenson caught fire for five points in the span of a minute, granting the Bruins a lead and momentum that would carry them to victory. The Bruins used that momentum to their advantage, broke the Loggers' late attempts at a press, and hit their foul shots down the stretch to close out the win.
Top Performances:
The three-ball was a key to the win for Fox on both ends of the court, as they held UPS to a 2-18 performance on one end while splashing in 11-28 on the other.
Davon Walker paced the Bruins with 14 points and was joined in double figures by Zac Schmerber (12), Austin Clark (12), and Kalu Stricklin (10). Stricklin added a game-high 13 rebounds to collect his first double-double of the year.
Coach's Thoughts:
Soon to come.
What It Means:
After their electric win over the Loggers, the Bruins move to 10-8 overall, with a 5-4 record in conference play, after evening the series against UPS at 1-1. The Loggers fall to 8-11 overall and are now 3-6 against NWC schools this year.
Up Next:
The Bruins travel next to Forest Grove, Ore., where they will take on Pacific to close out that season series on Saturday, Jan. 29 with a 6:00 pm tipoff.
