FOSTER HITS 1000 BUT BRUINS STUN LOGGERS, 78-77
TACOMA, Wash. - On a night that should have belonged to junior forward Jason Foster (Tacoma, Wash./Foss), the George Fox Bruins spoiled the party, upsetting the seventh-ranked Puget Sound Loggers, 78-77, in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday night at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.
The Bruins (6-13, 2-8 NWC) came firing out of the gate, scoring the games first eight points to take an early lead on the Loggers (15-3, 8-2 NWC). With just about 8:30 remaining in the half, Foster hit a three-ball that not only pulled UPS within four but gave him over 1,000 points in his collegiate career. The Bruins continued to apply the pressure, taking a 37-31 lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, it looked like the Loggers might succeed in the comeback. Using a Foster layup with 16:31 remaining in the contest, the Loggers took their first lead of the night, 41-39. Puget Sound pushed that lead to six with 13:08 remaining but the Bruins weren't ready to roll over, taking back the lead less than a minute later.
After a see-saw battle over the second half of the final period, the Loggers tied the game up on a jumper with 1:07 remaining. GFU answered with a basket to pull ahead by two but a Robert Krauel (Phoenix, Ariz./North Canyon) free throw pull the Loggers within one. The Bruins again pushed the lead up to three before Antwan Williams (Portland, Ore./Madison) hit a jumper with seven seconds remaining to get back within one. Krauel stole the inbounds pass and was quickly fouled but he was unable to hit either free throw as the Bruins escaped Tacoma with the 78-77 victory.
The Loggers were led by 40 points from Foster, who know has 1,031 points in his collegiate career. He is just the eighth Logger ever to score 40 points and the first since Matt Droege went for 41 against Lewis-Clark State in 1994-95. Krauel came off the bench to add 15 points and 10 rebounds while Williams finished with 11 points on the night.
George Fox was led by 27 points from Evan Atwater, also picking up 15 from Brent Satern. The Bruins shot 78.3-percent from the charity stripe, making 18-of-23 attempts.
Even with the loss, the Loggers still retain a share of the Northwest Conference lead following a Willamette victory at Whitworth, 82-74.
Puget Sound will look to rebound on Tuesday night when they head to Parkland to take on Pacific Lutheran. Tip-off with the Lutes is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. at Olson Auditorium on the PLU campus.
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