NEWBERG, Ore. -- Though the George Fox women's basketball team trailed the Lewis & Clark Pioneers by five with six minutes remaining, the team never backed down, outsourcing the Pios by 15 in the final half of the fourth to take home the win, 71-61.

How It Happened
The first quarter began with a frenzied pace, with each team nearly putting up 20 points in the 10 minutes. Fox drew fouls well in the first, shooting 8-10 from the free-throw line to keep pace with the Pios. Though the Bruins scored the first points of the game, it was Lewis & Clark who would be in front for the remainder of the quarter, leading by as many as four until late Kylie Ritter free throws tied the game at 19.

It was a polar opposite experience in the second, with each team shooting 30% or below. Fox was just 3-15 from the field in the period — with Erin Yoshitake and Claire Hinds the two Bruins to hit a shot —  relying on their defense to keep them close. The game was once again knotted with time winding down until a triple from Lewis & Clark's Jamison Richards gave the Pios a 29-26 lead at the break.

The high-scoring ways returned in the third quarter, with the Pios jumping out early — Lewis & Clark opened up on a 9-2 run to take a 10-point lead. From there, Alyssa Wells and Ella Roberts controlled the scoring, with Roberts hitting two post-up layups and Wells knocking in a trey and three free throws to cut into the Pioneer lead. The Bruins ended the quarter on a high note, with a nifty Mia Skoro drive to make the score 42-46 heading into the final frame.

Although the Bruins tied the game in the early stages of the fourth, it wasn't until the back half of the quarter that they gained control. Trailing 55-50 with 6:19 remaining in the game, the Bruin offense chipped away at the deficit, taking the lead on a Wells jumper two minutes later. Wells helped the Bruin offense come alive in the final period, scoring 10 points to help push her team ahead. 

The final nail in the coffin came on an acrobatic Yoshitake and-one layup to give the Bruins a six-point lead in the final 100 seconds. Thanks to more solid free throw shooting — Fox went 10-12 from the line — the Bruins never looked back, outscoring the Pios by 14 points in the fourth to win the game, 71-61.

Top Performers
Alyssa Wells' 10-point fourth quarter boosted her to a career night, scoring 22 on the night. Erin Yoshitake chipped in 14 points and a team-high three assists. Mia Skoro was the third Bruin in double figures, also pulling in seven rebounds. Joining her with seven boards was Jenna Lacey and Kylie Ritter.

Coach's Thoughts
"The girls played hard tonight," Bruin head coach Lauren Howard said, "Lewis & Clark is a great team and we knew they would go on runs. We had to figure out how to minimize those runs and then capitalize on the offensive end. I'm so proud of the fight this team shows every night.

What It Means
Fox sweeps the Pios on the season to improve to 3-14 on the year and 3-7 in NWC play. Lewis & Clark falls to 3-15 (1-9 NWC).

What Happens Next
Fox will travel to Forest Grove, Ore. to face the top-ranked Pacific Boxers (13-5, 9-1 NWC) on Friday, February 2. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.