NEWBERG, Ore. --.The George Fox Men's Basketball team overcame a 13 point deficit against the Willamette Bearcats on Saturday night, before a last second foul saw them drop the game, 78-77.

How It Happened

The first half was a tight contest, with the two teams trading baskets back and forth for the entire period. James Moore opened the scoring with two three pointers that set the tone for an impressive half of shooting, as the Bruins shot 44% from beyond the arc. Fox ended the first period with a dunk from Aiden Price and went into the break just behind, 35-40.

Though both teams continued to bring the offensive pressure into the second half, it was the Bearcats who were able to pull away first, putting up 11 points in three minutes to jump out to a 13-point lead. 

However, this run seemed to wake the Bruins up, as they quickly retaliated with an 11 point run of their own. James Moore and Charlie Powers put up back-back threes, and after a layup from Momo Stokes the Bruins held a one point lead. Two more free throws for Stokes were followed by a layup from Samuel Stewart IV, extending Fox's lead to seven in what became a 23-3 run. 

The game swung yet again when Willamette dropped seven straight points and tied the game up with one minute to play. The final play of the game was not without its controversy: winding down for the final shot with the game tied, 77, Austin Clark got a good look at a triple. The shot was just right of the rim, and during the final seconds wrestling for the ball, a Bruin foul was called with just 0.3 seconds left in the game in the scuffle, despite the Bearcats being 90 feet away from their own basket. Now with a chance to win, Willamette converted one free throw to defeat the Bruins by a single point, 78-77.

Top Performances 
James Moore led what was another impressive offensive performance, finishing with 18 points and eight rebounds on five of his eight shooting from deep. Momo Stokes put up 15 points, while Samuel Stewart IV ended with 14 points and eight rebounds on the day. Defensively, Stewart IV led the team with one block, while Nick Greenwood collected two steals.

What It Means
The Bruins fall to 12-5 overall (5-3 NWC), while Willamette improves to 9-6 (4-3 NWC).

What's Next
The Bruins will look to pick up a win in Tacoma, Wash. on Friday during their next matchup against Puget Sound. The game is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.