TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University men's basketball team was unable to match the early tempo of high-octane Pacific University and paid the price on Saturday evening, falling 116-83 to the Boxers in a Northwest Conference tilt inside Olson Gymnasium.

Jordan Thomas collected the game's opening bucket just 17 seconds into the game but the Boxers furious pace kept the Lutes off balance for the next seven minutes, scoring 22 of the next 25 to build a comfortable early lead. The early damage proved to be decisive as Pacific maintained its lead the rest of the way.

"No excuses for us tonight, we weren't really to play right from the opening tip," said Head Coach Chad Murray. "This style is very difficult to prepare for and simulate in practice but it's my responsibility as the leader of our program to try and convey what it's going to take to compete and ultimately succeed against it, and I failed to do so." 

Nasseen Gutierrez-Orozco led the Lutes, coming off the bench and scoring 14 points while grabbing seven rebounds in just 20 minutes of action. Thomas finished with 13 points, hitting all but one of his seven shots on the evening while Kelton Williams dropped 12 points and six assists. Carlton Brown added 11 while Zac Webb was the fifth Lute in double figures with 10 points. Conor Geiger added nine points along with a game-high 13 rebounds.

"Nasseen has been steadily improving all year and has some very unique talents that we're starting to see on a more consistent basis."

PLU outshot Pacific, shooting at a 46.9 percent clip (30-for-64) compared the Pacific's 42.7 percent (41-for-96) but was undone by a season-high 33 turnovers that helped the Boxers own a 34-10 advantage in points off turnovers.

The Lutes return to the court on Friday, facing Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.