TACOMA, Wash. –. In a hard-fought game that featured a nail-biting final possession, the George Fox Men's basketball team fell to Pacific Lutheran, 75-73, in their second conference game of the season. 

How It Happened
The Bruins exploded out of the gate, starting the night with a hasty Dre Lawrence three-pointer to put them on top immediately. Sydney Natche was quick to pile on two more points, pushing past defenders to force a layup. A jumper by Jake Centner solidified a 7–0 lead for the Bruins.

The Lutes were not so easily deterred, coming back to put the Bruins in a two-point deficit, 12–10. A three by freshman Natche put the Bruins back on top by a single point. A three-pointer thrown up by Centner increased the gap between the Bruins and the Lutes.

After some back-and-forth action, Donovan Cooks denied a Lute pass, stealing the ball and going the other direction for a layup to tie the game at 22–22. A layup by the record-breaking freshman, Natche, finally broke the stalemate, putting the Bruins up by two. After PLU tied it up once more, Jamar Mitchell scored on a jumper to keep George Fox ahead by a single basket. Pacific Lutheran capitalized on their opportunities, widening the gap to 38–31 in their favor to finish the first half.

Donovan Cooks was the first to score in the second half for the Bruins with a well-placed hook shot. PLU also came out hot, looking to increase their lead, but Natche stole two points back with a layup on the fast break. Noah Marte broke away from defenders and converted a layup to add two more points for the Bruins. Minutes later, Marte struck again with a three-pointer to raise the score to 45–42, leaving the Bruins trailing by only three with 15 minutes left on the clock. It soon became obvious that the game would be down to the wire.

On a rampage, Marte came out of the huddle aggressively, taking a chance on another three-pointer and sinking it to tie the game once more. The Lutes pulled ahead again, but Natche responded with a three of his own to tie it at 50–50. Centner then connected from beyond the arc, finally putting the Bruins back on top for the first time since the first half. Pacific Lutheran came back with a vengeance, generating a nine-point lead before Marte sank another three, ending the Lute run at 64–58.

Despite the Lutes increasing their lead once more, Cooks knocked down two triples in a row, reeling the deficit back to just two points. After Pacific Lutheran scored again, Cooks came up clutch, sinking another three from beyond the arc. He followed it with a layup, bringing the score to 75–73 and leaving the Lutes ahead by just two.

The thrilling final seconds  became a battle for one last basket, with George Fox fighting to catch up and Pacific Lutheran desperately trying to hold on. After Cooks' layup, the Lutes turned the ball over. Natche appeared to tie the game with an acrobatic layup, but he was whistled for an offensive foul, keeping the Bruins down by two.

Again, the Bruin defense stepped up. Centner stole a pass in the backcourt, and Fox was back in business. Cooks attempted to make his third straight shot from behind the arc, but the ball barely missed after rolling on the rim for several tantalizing seconds. Mitchell snagged the offense rebound, though, giving the Bruins another chance. This time, it was Natche who tried a triple, double-clutching a shot in the final seconds. Again, Mitchell grabbed the rebound, with his putback narrowly missing as the buzzer sounded in a 75-73.

Top Performances
Sydney Natche led the Bruins in scoring with 23 points, followed by Jake Centner with 18. Natche also recorded three steals, creating scoring opportunities for George Fox. Noah Marte and Donovan Cooks were on fire from beyond the arc, scoring 12 and 11 points, respectively. Cooks also dished out four assists on the night. Centner and Cory Schramm led the team in rebounds with six each.

What It Means
The Bruins fall to 1-10 (0-2 NWC) on the young season. Pacific Lutheran advances to 7-3, taking their first conference win of the season. 

What Comes Next
The Bruins stay in Tacoma, looking to leave with a conference win against Puget Sound on Saturday, January 3 at 5pm.