nNEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox men's basketball team fought hard after a tough first half, but ultimately came up short in their Northwest Conference opener against Willamette, losing 81-61.

How It Happened
In a sign of things to come in the first half, the game started slowly, with the teams combining for four missed shots and a turnover in the opening 90 seconds. Jamar Mitchell broke the scoreless start with a trey to give the Bruins the lead — and the offense began to pick up. 

Fox would score on four of the next six possessions, with Cory Schramm, Dre Lawrence, and Sydney Natche all finding the bottom of the net. Willamette, meanwhile, fought back, and the two teams traded leads for the middle part of the quarter. A free throw from Noah Marte gave the Bruins a 16-11 lead, but that would be the largest lead any team would have over the next seven minutes.

Jumpers from Marte and Schramm helped keep the Bruins in the lead, but Fox fell cold from the field in the final stages of the half. After Natche drew a goaltending call with 6:25 remaining, the Bruins would not score for the remainder of the period. Willamette took advantage, going on a 14-0 run that culminated in a tip-in at the buzzer to give the Bearcats a 34-24 halftime lead.

Nacthe started the second half strong for GFU, hitting back-to-back jumpers to keep the Bruins within shouting distance. Though Willamette took a 14-point lead, the Bruins bounced back thanks to several triples from Marte. The junior hit three in a two-minute period to help the Bruins get within single digits. A layup by Lawrence had Fox inching closer before Luke Tobin checked in and made an immediate impact.

Tobin stole the inbounds pass immediately after he entered the game, which resulted in a Mitchell three-pointer. Then, Anthony Williams found the sophomore for a triple of his own — and suddenly, the Bruins were down just four, 49-45.

Unfortunately, it would be the Bearcats who got hot next. Willamette's Clem Connor and Tanner Overby scored the next 10 points to help their team wrestle back control. An extended 24-3 run quickly put any GFU comeback to rest; Trey McDonald III and Jake Centner each had solid buckets to close the game, but it would be the road Bearcats who picked up the victory, 81-61.

Top Performances
Noah Martre led the team with 17 points, including four triples — all of which came in the second half. Sydney Natche was the other Bruin to reach double digits, finishing with 10 points. Jake Centner and Dre Lawrence led the team with seven rebounds apiece, while Jamar Mitchell had a team-high two steals.

What It Means
The Bruins drop to 1-6 (0-1 NWC) on the year, while the Bearcats improve to 3-4 (1-0 NWC)

What Comes Next
George Fox will stay right at home with a game against the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs (3-4) on Saturday, December 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm.