NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox women's basketball team honored their seniors in a big way, clinching at least a share of the second seed in NWC play with a win over the Lewis & Clark Pioneers, 72-59.
How It Happened
Before the game, Fox honored their three seniors:
Claire Hinds,
Alyssa Wells, and
Alexa Borter. After the festivities, the Bruins took control early in the contest, with a three from Wells in the middle of a 9-1 run over the first five minutes setting the tone in the first quarter. After the first five of the first, GFU had carved out an 11-1 lead over the Pioneers. Lewis & Clark's offense brought the game back in the back half of the first quarter, however, the Bruins hit a pair of threes, Borter dropped in a driving bucket, and
Kylie Ritter hit a last-second bucket to end the quarter with Fox on top, 21-12.
In the second quarter the Bruins continued to pull away, outscoring the Pios 18-11 in the quarter, behind phenomenal play from Wells and Borter. After a slow first half of the second, a bucket in the paint from Borter at the five-minute mark jump-started the Bruins offense — Fox blitzed the Pios with a 16-8 run over the rest of the quarter. The half ended with Wells beating the buzzer with a smooth left-handed finish that put the Bruins up, 39-23. Wells had eight points in the quarter to go with Borter's six to push Fox to the lead.
Fox continued to dominate in the second half, largely behind the massive effort on the glass from GFU – the Bruins outrebounded the Pios 14-7 in just the third quarter alone. Hinds kept the senior day train going with a bucket off of Borter's assist to start the quarter, and Fox kept rolling from there, as the lead soon surpassed 20 points, with Fox taking a 44-23 lead just over a minute into the third frame. The Bruins' defense and crisp passing solidified the lead by the end of the third, as Fox led 56-35.
The Pios did manage to outscore Fox in the fourth quarter, picking up points as the Bruins seniors all were checked out of the game to give them their final curtain call in their last home games at the Wheeler Sports Center. Overall in the game, the trio of veterans combined for 37 points – led by 14 from Hinds, who scored 12 points in the second half – and 17 rebounds. Fpx wrapped up the victory, 72-59.
Top Performances
In her last game at Wheeler Sports Center,
Claire Hinds scored a career-high 14 points and snagged four rebounds.
Alexa Borter had a stat line of 12 points, six boards, and six assists, while
Alyssa Wells rounded out the seniors' huge day with 11 points, seven rebounds, and three steals.
Hanne Hopkins was a bucket shy of a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds and scoring eight points.
What It Means
As the Bruins continue to fight for seeding in the NWC tournament, they pick up a key conference win and improve to 18-6 (10-5 NWC). Lewis & Clark is now 5-19 (2-13 NWC). With a Linfield loss to Whitman, the Bruins have clinched at least a share of the two seed.
What Comes Next
George Fox wraps up the regular season on the road on Saturday, February 22, heading north to play the Puget Sound Loggers (11-13, 10-5 NWC) in Tacoma, Wash. at 6:00 pm.
