Jan. 19, 2007

George Fox Remains on Top in NWC Women’s Basketball

Game Statistics

Trish Buckingham - leads all scorers with 14 points

TACOMA, Wash. – George Fox remained in a tie with Puget Sound for the Northwest Conference women’s basketball lead by defeating Pacific Lutheran, 50-47, on Friday night in Olson Auditorium.

The visiting Bruins won for the sixth straight time to improve their conference record to 6-1 and their overall mark to 10-4. The host Lutes, the defending conference champions, lost their third straight game, their fourth in the past five, and are now 3-4 in the conference and 8-7 overall.

As has been the case in recent years when these two teams get together, the contest was close throughout. Pacific Lutheran led by five, 10-5, after Nikki Johnson’s jumper about six minutes into the contest. The Bruins took a 21-19 lead on two foul shots by Melissa Marek-Farris with 3:51 left in the half, but the Lutes went into the intermission with a 22-21 lead following Trish Buckingham’s three-point field goal with 1:05 remaining in the half.

There were 10 ties and five leads changes in the second half. Pacific Lutheran junior wing Kyle Haag hit her third three-point field goal of the second half to tie the score at 43-43 with 6:16 remaining. The teams traded field goals until Katy Campbell’s layup hung on the rim then dropped in to give the Bruins a 49-47 lead with 1:55 to play.

Pacific Lutheran missed three shots down the stretch, and Nicole Hudson hit a free throw with 16 seconds on the clock to give George Fox the game’s final point. The Lutes had one more chance at a game-tying three-point field goal, but Katy Campbell blocked Buckingham’s effort from the top of the key and the clock expired.

Marek-Farris had a huge game for the Bruins with 10 points, nine rebounds and five of the team’s seven blocks. The Bruins hit 43 percent from the field and limited the Lutes to 29 percent shooting.

Buckingham led all scorers with 14 points and Johnson contributed 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for Pacific Lutheran.

The Lutes return to action tomorrow night hosting Pacific in a conference game starting at 6 p.m. George Fox is also in action, taking on Lewis & Clark in Portland starting at 6 p.m.

- PLU -