NEWBERG, Ore. -- Heading into Friday, the George Fox men's basketball team needed a win over Lewis & Clark to stay alive in the hunt for the NWC tournament. After picking up a thrilling 77-74 win over Pios, the Bruins remain in contention to make the playoffs.

How It Happened
The first half featured intense back-and-forth action, with neither team leading by more than six points throughout the half. Both teams saw even statistics on the half — Fox shot 44% to Lewis & Clark's 42%, each team made seven free throws and neither hit more than four triples. The Bruins led 22-16 after a Chris Nickelberry layup, but the Pios responded with a run of their own, outscoring Fox 13-6 to end the half up 39-35.

It was the Chris Nickelberry show to start the second half: the sophomore was a menace at the rim, scoring four straight buckets to keep the Bruins in contention. Then, it was Nick Greenwood's turn, scoring seven straight points immediately following Nickelberry's eight.

The 15 points from the two guards gave the Bruins a one-point advantage as the lead changed hands several times around the nine-minute mark. Fox led by as many as four following a Davon Walker layup, but a run from the Pios' Brendan Patrick closed the gap. With 5:28 remaining in the game, the score was knotted at 62.

After consolidated runs by single players in the half, the Bruins saw four different players score to wrestle control of the game. Following two free throws from Adam Damian with 1:37 remaining, the Bruins had control of the game, 70-62. Though the Pios made a late push, Fox went 7-8 from the free throw line in the closing seconds to hold on to the monumental 77-74 win.

Top Performers
Nickelberry led the way with 23 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting on the night, while Charlie Powers scored 17. Kade Sorenson and Greenwood were next up with 13 points and 10 points, respectively. Nickelberry also led the team in assists with four, while Damian cleaned the glass, finishing with four blocks.

Coach's Thoughts
"Our guys' disposition changed in the second half for the better," Bruin head coach Maco Hamilton said, "The fight we showed was essential to getting this win."

What It Means
The Bruins improve to 8-17 (7-8 NWC) on the year, while the Pios fall to 13-11 (7-8 NWC). With the win, Fox is now tied with Linfield and Lewis & Clark for fourth in the conference. Due to tiebreakers, the Bruins will need a win Saturday coupled with a Linfield and Lewis & Clark loss to make the NWC tournament.

What Comes Next
The ultra-important final regular season game will take place tomorrow night against Pacific at Wheeler Sports Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm.