NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox men's basketball team hung with one of the hottest teams in the nation on Saturday night, falling 93-84 to Claremont Mudd Scripps in their second game of the season.

How It Happened
Both teams were very evenly matched, and made the first half very entertaining for their fans on opening night at Wheeler Sports Center.  After keeping the game close to even through the first part of the half, the Stags rattled off a streak of eight straight points to take the lead over the Bruins midway through the half. Battling hard, the Bruins were able to cut the deficit to seven points. Davon Walker's jumped to close the half made the score 48-41 to close the first.

Looking to battle back in the second half, the Bruins came out with energy and intent.  The two teams traded blows throughout the half, with the Stags never leading by more than 10 but always up by at least three. Two free throws with Austin Clark cut the lead to four at 75-71. However, after a couple free throws failed to go for the Bruins, the Stags pulled away to take the victory, 93-84. It was the smallest margin of victory for the Stags, who defeated No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor by 11 and NWC opponent Lewis & Clark by 32.

Top Performances
Multiple Bruins had a great night, with Austin Clark leading the way offensively for the Bruins with 17 points, followed closely by Adam Damian and Momo Stokes, who had 15 and 13 points, respectively.  Damian led the way with 4 rebounds, while Momo Stokes and Christopher Nickelberry each had 3 steals.   

Coach's Thoughts
"I thought it was a great night for us," Bruin head coach Maco Hamilton said, "I think CMS is one of the top teams in the country, and I really loved how we competed and we fought with them for the full 40 minutes. That was a game where our toughness was challenged and I loved how we responded."

What It Means
The Bruins lose their second game of the season, dropping to 0-2 overall. The Stags improve to 3-0 on the season.

What Comes Next
The Bruins play their next game against East Texas Baptist University on Nov. 18 at 4:00 p.m. in the Pacific Boxer Classic in Forest Grove, Ore.