NEWBERG, Ore. —  The George Fox men's basketball team claimed a resounding 81-69 victory over Pacific Lutheran to boost not only morale, but their position in the conference.    

How It Happened
With Bruin star Momo Stokes missing the game, Fox was sure to find points from other options. After a Nick Greenwood layup got the scoring started for the Bruins in the first half, the first ten points of the half were a back and forth between both offenses, with the game remaining very close. The Bruins, whole led by as many as eight in the early stages of the game, had a brief lapse in which they let the Lutes back within five, but quickly lept back to a 32-24 lead to grab back the momentum. A three pointer from Aiden Price and a pair of free throws from Kade Sorenson closed out the scoring as Fox took a 43-37 into the second half. 

The Bruins kept the momentum rolling into the second half, as they continued to keep the pressure on the Lutes and build a sizable lead. The Bruins once again got the scoring started with a Greenwood layup before James Moore found the bucket on consecutive possessions to extend the Bruins lead to 12 early.

Though the Lutes matched the Bruins offensive production throughout the half, the lead the Bruins had built up proved to be too big for the Lutes to overcome. A jumper from Charlie Powers gave the Bruins a 14 point cushion, and later Samuel Stewart IV continued a killer half by extending the lead to 16. Though the Lutes cut into the lead in the waning seconds,  the Bruin lead proved too much, giving Fox their seventh win of the season, 81-69.       

Top Performances 
Aiden Price led the offense for the Bruins with 17 points on the night, draining his only attempted three and going 8-9 on field foals. Nick Greenwood and Samuel Stewart IV were right on Price's heels with 16 apiece, combining for a 13-18 night from the field. On defense, Greenwood was a nuisance for the Lutes, recording five steals, while Kade Sorenson swatted the only block of the night.  

What It Means
The Bruins improve to 14-7 on the season and 7-5 in conference, and leapfrog two spots in the standings; Fox is tied for third in the NWC with Willamette and Puget Sound. Pacific Lutheran falls to 11-10 (4-8 NWC).

Whats Next
The Bruins take on the Whitman Blues next Friday at 8:00 p.m. in Walla Walla, Wash.