2/15 - GEORGE FOX 45, PACIFIC LUTHERAN 42: Bruin Defense Ends PLU's 26-Game Home Win Streak
TACOMA, Wash. - While Pacific Lutheran University may lead the nation with the lowest defensive average, the George Fox University Bruins showed they can play a little defense as well, shutting down the Lutes 45-42 Saturday night (Feb. 15) here at Olson Auditorium, ending the Lutes' 26-game home court winning streak.
The Bruins won for the eighth time in nine games against PLU dating back to the 1999-2000 season, using a stingy defense and a combined 33 points from Darby Cave and Kellie Thomas. Not surprisingly, the last team to beat PLU on its home court was George Fox by a 54-51 score on Feb. 3, 2001.
George Fox limited the Lutes to 28 percent shooting during the game, including 23 percent on 7-of-30 in the second half. On the other end of the floor, Cave hit 8-of-12 shots on the way to a game-high 17 points, while Thomas converted 6-of-12 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers, in scoring 16 points.
The game started slowly, Pacific Lutheran missing its first five shots and George Fox missing its first four attempts before PLU's Aundi Kustura broke the scoring drought with a pair of free throws at the 15:46 mark. The Bruins then went on an 11-3 run, Thomas scoring eight of those points on a pair of free throws and both of her three-point baskets. Pacific Lutheran rallied and pulled ahead, 18-17, on Courtney Johnson's field goal at the 3:47 mark, but Cave responded with seven straight points for the Bruins. Her layup at the 2:13 mark gave the Bruins a 21-20 lead, and they would never trail again.
Both teams cranked up the defense in the second half and the squads combined to score only 35 points in the final 20 minutes. George Fox led by as much as six points in the second period, 32-26, on Cave's basket with 16:15 to play. Pacific Lutheran rallied to within one point on two occasions, the second with 9:04 left in the game when Mallory Mann's three-pointer cut the Bruins' lead to 38-37.
After Cave scored to give George Fox a 45-40 lead with 2:27 left, Johnson hit a shot on the other end 17 seconds later to pull the Lutes to within three points, but neither team scored the rest of the way, the Lutes missing three shots from the field and the Bruins two one-and-ones. The latter of those misses, coming with six seconds left, was rebounded by Cave and the Bruins ran out the clock.
Cave not only led all scorers but also had a game-high 11 rebounds, leading the Bruins to a 38-37 advantage in that category. Kim Leith passed out 8 assists.
For the Lutes, Mann had 11 points and 3 assists, while Hilary Berg had 8 rebounds.
The Bruins climbed to 13-10 overall and 8-6 in league. The loss drops Pacific Lutheran into a first-place conference tie with Whitworth at 17-6 overall and 11-3 in the conference.
George Fox faces Yamhill County rival Linfield College Tuesday (Feb. 18) at 6:00 p.m.