SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Momo Stokes led the George Fox men's basketball team with 22 points, as the George Fox men's basketball team struggled to overcome foul trouble in the second half of a 93-74 loss to the Chapman Panthers.

How It Happened
Transfer DJ Evans scored the first bucket of the Bruins season, hitting a three-pointer to take an early 3-2 lead in the opening minutes of the contest. The three sparked an 8-0 run that ended with GFU up 8-2 early. The six-point lead would be the Bruins' largest lead of the game. The Panthers responded to the Bruins' run with a run of their own, tying the game at 10 with 15 minutes left in the half.

The two sides jostled for the following minutes, the Panthers slowly pulling away from the Bruins as GFU tried to hold them close. With 2:30 remaining, the Bruins found themselves down 40-26, the largest lead of the half. GFU ended the half on an 8-3 run – featuring a hustle play from a diving Nick Greenwood that led to a Chris Nickelberry layup – and Fox managed to cut the lead to 43-34 going into the break. 

The story of the second half was the difference between the Panthers free throw attempts and the Bruins: Chapman went 16-18 at the charity stripe, while the Bruins managed to create just seven trips to the line, sinking three of them. That and the rebounding disparity between the two teams made it hard for the Bruins to gain significant ground in the second half. 

The Bruins hung around for much of the half, playing much closer than the score would suggest, pulling within ten several times, and within five twice. However, the Panthers used the free throws and steady shooting to slowly pull away from the Bruins, as the game concluded in the 93-74 loss. 

Top Performances
Senior Momo Stokes picked up where his stellar junior year campaign left off, leading the team with 22 points, five assists, three rebounds, and a steal. Sophomore Noah Marte scored 11 points off the bench, and Chris Nickelberry chipped in with 10 points in 12 minutes. 

Coach's Thoughts
"I was pleased with how we competed," Bruin head coach Maco Hamilton, "It was a game against a good experienced team that challenged us in several areas and will create growth opportunities for us."

What It Means
The Bruins start the year 0-1, and the Panthers are now 1-0.

What Comes Next
The Bruins continue their opening tournament with a contest against the CalTech Beavers at 2 pm on Saturday, November 11th in Santa Cruz, Calif.