FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- After a tough first half put the undermanned George Fox men's basketball team behind by one against Pacific, the offense exploded for 54 in the second half to take down the Boxers, 86-74.

How It Happened
The Bruins began the game without starters Momo Stokes and Davon Walker; with the two highest-scoring Bruins out, Charlie Powers got the nod and Sean Quanico picked up his first career collegiate start. Needing to replace a combined 27.4 points per game, Fox got off to a hot start by jumping out to a 7-2 lead in the first minutes of the half. They attempted to hold off the fast-charging Boxers, but never got the lead above five points in the first as Pacific snagged the lead midway through the half. After shooting 13-29 from the field with five triples, the Bruins went into the half trailing 33-32.

The second half started much the same as the first. Both normally high-octane offenses were struggling to catch fire, with both teams exchanging blows to keep the score locked. However, as the second half reached the middle stages and began to wind down, the shots began to fall for the Bruins, who opened up a lead with eight unanswered in under a minute. Adam Damian gave the Boxers fits in the second half, hitting three triples and scoring 11.

After a quick score by Pacific, the Bruins answered with a 5-2 scoring run to tip the score 18 points in the Bruins' favor with under two minutes to play. Though the Boxers attempted to close the gap in the waning seconds, the defense held fast in the Bruins' big 86-74 win.

Top Performances
Chris Nickelberry and Charlie Powers led the scoring for the Bruins with 17 and 16 respectively. The two combined for 33 points on 11-16 from the field, including two triples and only one missed free throw. Defensively, Austin Clark snatched two steals, while Nickelberry, Jaron Hansen, and Chase Januik also contributed steals. In the paint, Adam Damian continued his dominance on the glass with three blocks — the sophomore has 11 blocks over the last four games.

Coach's Thoughts
"I'm so proud of our guys," Bruin head coach Maco Hamilton said. "We overcame obvious adversity and did it by working together. That made tonight a success, and continued our overall growth as a team."

What It Means
The Bruins improve to 3-4 in conference play and 4-11 overall, while the Boxers drop to 9-7 (4-3 NWC).     

What Comes Next
The Bruins are in action again tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. against Lewis and Clark in Portland, Ore. It is recommended that tickets be purchased before the game, as cash will not be accepted. For tickets and more information, click here.