NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox women's basketball team put together another impressive performance at home on Saturday night, holding off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Pacific Lutheran Lutes to earn their third straight win of the season, 58-50.

George Fox was explosive early, setting the tone for the game immediately with an eight-point run. Erin Yoshitake, Ella Roberts, and Mia Skoro all had points on the board within the first two minutes, helping the Bruins shoot 42% from the floor during the period. The end of the quarter turned into a defensive battle, as neither team was able to find the basket in the final two minutes, and the Bruins took a 12-6 lead into the break.

The defensive pressure from both teams continued into the second quarter as the Lutes were able to contain the Bruins early in the period. Ella Roberts was the first to break through with a layup, igniting a seven-point run for Fox that extended their lead to 12 at 19-7. Alyssa Wells drained a triple to increase the gap further, but the Lutes refused to go away quietly, ending the half with a six-point run to pull back within seven heading into halftime, 22-15. 

Fox turned on the heat in the third quarter, going 6-11 from the floor. The Bruins also made 2-3 triples, both of which came from Alyssa Wells. Though the Lutes also shot well, totaling seven field goals in the quarter, they were unable to make up any ground, giving the Bruins a 10-point lead heading into the final period. 

The Bruins relied heavily on free throws in the final period, as they shot just four times in the quarter as opposed to the Lutes' 17 attempts. Pacific Lutheran continued to chip away at the Fox advantage — soon, a nine-point lead had been trimmed to just three with one minute remaining. 

Mia Skoro quickly quieted the Lute run, hitting the defining shot of the night for the Bruins; the sophomore drove through a flurry of defenders and barely released the layup as the shot clock expired, giving Fox a five-point lead and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Fox played the foul game in the final seconds, allowing Wells, Yoshitake, and Skoro to put the game away and earn the Bruins their third straight win, 58-50.

Mia Skoro led the Bruins with 12 points, shooting 4-8 from the field and collecting seven rebounds. Ella Roberts and Alyssa Wells each put together a solid 11-point effort, with Wells going 3-7 from beyond the arc. 

The team was impressive defensively – with Skoro collecting five steals, Wells contributing three steals of her ownand three blocks, and Jenna Lacey and Ella Roberts both finishing with three blocks each.

Coach's Thoughts
"Tonight was a grind," Bruin head coach Lauren said, "Both teams came off pf big games last night and worked super hard all 40 minutes. We did a great job making in game adjustments and pushing through until the end. I couldn't be more proud of the fight and growth this team shows each day. We have been #sharks."

The Bruins win their third straight game of the season to improve to 5-14 (5-7 NWC). The Lutes drop to 10-11 (2-10 NWC).

The Bruins will look to continue their hot streak on the road with their next match against the Whitman Blues (16-5, 8-4 NWC) on February 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.