TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University men's basketball team is set to open Northwest Conference play this week. The Lutes will make the short trip across town to square off against cross-town rivals University of Puget Sound on Tuesday before facing Linfield College on Friday in McMinnville, Oregon. 

The Loggers will have their hands full against the high-octane Lute offense. The Lutes (1-1) drained a school record 18 three-pointers (old record: 16 against Mesa State University on Dec. 30, 1995) against Evergreen State College in a 96-79 victory on Nov. 20.  Juniors Leighton Kingma and Jacob Bingham each contributed six three-pointers in the record-setting performance. Kingma led the offensive charge for the Lutes, scoring 27 points.

Transfers Jacob Bingham and Conor Geiger have been key additions for the Lutes revamped offense. A 6'3" guard, Jacob Bingham joins the Lutes from Southwestern Oregon Community College and is averaging 10.5 points per game. Bingham is majoring in Business Marketing. Conor Geiger is a 6'4" guard who played for Mount Hood Community College. Geiger is majoring in physics and ranks second on the team in scoring, chipping in 13.5 ppg.

Freshman Jordan Thomas has also been a heavy contributor in the opening games for the Lutes, averaging 8.0 ppg and 7.0 rebounds per game. Thomas plans on majoring in sociology with hopes of going into law enforcement. He chose PLU because "the coaching staff made me feel at home and I fell in love with the campus."

Nov. 27: PLU vs. Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington (8 p.m.)

Series History: The two teams have met 140 times since the 1940-41 season with each team winning exactly 70 times. UPS won both encounters last season, prevailing 98-78 on Jan. 16 inside Memorial Fieldhouse before downing the Lutes 84-70 on Feb. 13 inside Olson Gymnasium. 

About the Loggers: Holding the reins for Puget Sound (3-1) is first year coach, Aubrey Shelton. Shelton and the Loggers are 3-1 on the season coming off a thrilling 89-85 victory against Whittier College over the weekend. The prominent scoring threat for the Loggers will be senior Jimmy Wohrer. During the 2017-18 season, he led the NWC in scoring average with an impressive 22.2 points per game. UPS is averaging 87 points per game and shooting 50% from behind the arc. Slowing down the Loggers from deep will be key for the Lutes to start their conference schedule with a win.

Nov. 30: PLU vs. Linfield in McMinnville, Oregon (8 p.m.)

Series History: The Lutes enjoy a 77-58 advantage in the all-time series dating back to the 1939-1940 season. 

About the Wildcats: Much like the Loggers, the Linfield Wildcats are also 3-1 on the season. The Wildcats are averaging 93 points per game and shooting 49.8% from the field. Sophomore Dempsey Roggenbuck is leading the offensive charge, averaging 21 points per game. The Lutes will also have to keep an eye on Grant Gibb, as the junior has already made 11 three pointers early in the season.