NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox men's basketball team was electric against the Linfield Wildcats, shooting at over 50% from both the floor and beyond the arc on their way to a convincing 97-76 win.

How It Happened 
The Wildcats opened the scoring with two quick baskets, but Fox retaliated immediately with an eight point run of their own, bookended by triples from Jake Centner and Momo Stokes. Much of the half was a tight contest, with the two teams trading quick baskets back and forth. Both teams had no problem finding offensive momentum, as the game saw four straight buckets from beyond the arc — with Stokes and Nick Greenwood making back-to-back triples for Fox.

The Bruins were unstoppable offensively, shooting at over 60% from both the floor and the three point line, while going a blistering 9-12 from deep in the first half. Fox closed out the half with another huge nine point-run, giving them the lead headed into the break, 51-41.

Fox kept this momentum early in the second half, with Noah Marte dropping two triples in as many minutes to extend the Bruins' lead to 15. 

The Bruins outpaced the Wildcats the entire way, extending their lead to 20 points after a electrifying dunk by Samuel Stewart IV with seven minutes to play. 

From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth affair, and the Wildcats dropped several deep threes to keep the Bruins on their toes heading into the final few minutes. Aiden Price put the nail in the coffin, however, making three straight driving layups to earn Fox a dominant win, 97-76. The 21-point victory was the most for the Bruins against Linfield in 38 years — the Bruins defeated the Wildcats, 120-74, in January of 1987.

Top Performers
Aiden Price led the way for the Bruins, dropping 19 points after shooting at 75% from the floor, while also collecting a team-high of seven rebounds. Momo Stokes continued to impress, ending the night with 15 points and five assists. Nick Greenwood and Chris Nickelberry also had double digit performances, finishing with 15 and 11 points, respectively. 

Defensively, Samuel Stewart IV led the team with three steals, while Jake Centner recorded one block on the night.

Coach's Thoughts
"Our men played great tonight and showed what our ceiling can be," Bruin head coach Maco Hamilton said, "I'm hopeful we can carry this effort and performance to tomorrow night."

What It Means 
The Bruins improve to 8-10 (4-5 NWC) while the Wildcats fall to 7-11 overall (4-5 NWC).

What Comes Next
The George Fox men's basketball team will look to continue this momentum on Saturday, February 1st, when they travel to Salem for another conference matchup against the Willamette Bearcats (7-10, 1-8 NWC). Tip off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.