WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- The red-hot George Fox men's basketball team continued their winning ways, earning their first win against Whitman in Walla Walla in 11 years with a victory over the Blues on Valentine's Day, 99-78.

How It Happened
The game was fast-paced from the opening tip, with Cory Schramm and Whitman's Bernard Dzesi trading dunks in the initial minutes as the Blues took a brief 6-4 lead. Fox countered with pressure, forcing turnovers and taking a lead of their own; Samuel Stewart IV scored five quick points to help the Bruins take an 11-8 advantage.

From there, the Bruins' shooting took off. Noah Marte nailed two treys in quick succession, with Price knocking in a triple of his own and Green making a tough midrange jumper. Thanks to a lockdown Bruin defense and another Marte three-pointer, Fox had a 10-point lead, 31-21. The Bruins stayed 10 points ahead into the waning minutes of the half, as Whitman chipped down the lead to five at the break, 46-41.
 
After six points in the first half, Momo Stokes came out of the locker room flaming hot. The senior guard had the first eight points of the half for GFU — all in the first two minutes of the half — as the Bruins took a nine-point lead. Stokes' run proved to be the shot in the arm that Fox needed, as they slowly pulled away as the second half proceeded.

Every time the Blues tried to rally and cut the deficit, the Bruins had an answer. Whether it was a stellar night from the line for Samuel Stewart IV, clutch triples from Marte and Jake Bishop, or nifty finishes from Aiden Price, Fox kept a 10-point buffer for the back half of the period. An intense press from the Bruin defense forced 17 turnovers, including nine in the second half.

When all was said and done, it looked like business as usual for the Bruins, who picked up their first win in Walla Walla since 2014 in dominant fashion. Fox led for the final 30 minutes of the game, downing the Blues, 99-78.

Top Performances
Samuel Stewart IV led the Bruins, shooting 5-9 from the field and 12-13 from the line en route to a 23-point performance. Momo Stokes finished with 16 points — eight of them in the first two minutes of the second half — while Noah Marte shot 4-4 from deep. Vanndon Heard led the team with eight rebounds, with Stewart IV and Jake Bishop leading the way with three assists.

What It Means
With the win, the Bruins catapulted themselves back into position for the NWC Tournament, improving to 11-11 (7-6 NWC). The victory pushes the Blues back to a 9-13 record (7-6 NWC). Thanks to victories in four of the Bruins' last five games, GFU and Whitman teams are tied with Lewis & Clark for third in the Northwest Conference.

What It Means
Fox will have one of their biggest tests of the season, facing No. 15 Whitworth (20-2, 11-2 NWC), the top team in the conference. The Bruins are one of two teams to defeat Whitworth on the season, downing the Pirates in Newberg, 87-81.