NEWBERG, Ore. -- In their first game at home in 49 days, the George Fox women's basketball team ran into one of the hottest teams in the Northwest Conference in Puget Sound. Though the game was close early, a massive second-quarter run led to a 72-43 Fox loss.    

How It Happened
The game began as a defensive struggle — after the first five minutes, Fox led 5-3. The Bruins shot 6-14 from the field, with Emma Reed and Claire Hinds scoring 11 Bruin points. A stout defense held the Loggers to 33% shooting as UPS led, 19-15, after one.

The defensive battle continued in the early moments of the second — with 6:22 remaining in the second, Fox found themselves in front, 20-19. From there, though, the Loggers put on the clamps defensively. The Bruins shot 3-12 from the field, scoring only two points over the final six minutes to find themselves behind 38-22.

The third quarter was the same story as the second. The Bruins shot 3-17 from the field with only one triple in seven tries, while the Loggers put up 22, including six treys, to take a 60-31 lead.

The Bruins' defense in the fourth half was able to hold the Loggers to 12 points, which the Bruin offense was able to match. Fox shot 3-14 from the field and drained two threes on nine tries as the women dropped their fourth straight with a 43-72 loss.            

Top Performances
Erin Yoshitake and Claire Hinds led the scoring for the Bruins, with 10 and nine points respectively on a collective 8-18 from the field including a combined three triples. Defensively, Erin Yoshitake contributed a block, while Emily Stephens snatched two steals to aid the Bruins' effort.      

What It Means
The Bruins move to 4-8 overall (1-2 NWC), while Puget Sound improves to 10-2.

What Comes Next
After a month and a half away from Wheeler, the Bruins stay at home to host the Pacific Lutheran Lutes tomorrow, Jan. 7 at 4:00 p.m. in Newberg.