TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University men's basketball team look to finish its non-conference slate strong as they host Northwest Indian College on Friday in Olson Gymnasium.
 
Last weekend the Lutes (3-5) played Northwest Christian University (6-5) in a tightly contested game, with the Beacons getting the upper hand in a 91-84 victory. The Lutes did have a great shooting performance with Jordan Thomas notching a team-high 23 points, with Seth Hall close behind at 21 points, and Leighton Kingma with 15. Although the final score line did not go in the Lutes favor, there are many positive takeaways that the team can take into the game this week. 
 
"One thing we took away from the loss to Northwest Christian was that we need to trust our system and be connected (defensively)," said sophomore Jordan Thomas. "There were multiple times where guys were not on the same page."
 
Thomas posted very impressive numbers from the game against Northwest Christian, scoring 23 points and recording three assists, three steals, and eight rebounds.
 
"Personally, I do not care about how many numbers I put up. I'm more disappointed that I turned the ball over seven times and took too many forced shots. However, those are things I will learn from."
 
Thomas is working hard in the classroom finishing up with finals to end fall semester strong.
 
"My major is sociology; I plan to minor in psych and communication. I would like to be a school counselor and possibly coach someday. This interest stemmed from me not having a father figure around, so being a school counselor would allow me to be more involved in my kid's life and be a mentor to other kids."
 
Outside of basketball Thomas has many hobbies and interests that keep him busy.
 
"Outside of basketball I like to watch movies and play video games. Spending time with friends and family is something I like to do most. Also getting tighter with the guys off the court is a priority. Our team's chemistry is amazing this year, both on and off the court we are all close. It's a good feeling to know that everyone is tight."
 
The Lutes will be back in action on Friday, as they host Northwest Indian College in Olson Gymnasium.
 
"To bounce back from last week, we're working on our defensive identity and making sure everyone understands each responsibility in the scheme. We look forward to a good performance against Northwest Indian College on Friday."
 
Dec. 20: PLU vs. Northwest Indian at Olson Gymnasium (7 p.m.)
 
Series History: The Lutes and Eagles will be meeting for the third time ever tonight with PLU winning the previous two encounters. The Lutes prevailed 130-52 over Northwest Indian during the 2015-2016 season while earning a 92-80 win over NWIC in 2017-2018. 
 
About the Eagles: Northwest Indian (1-24) has had a busy fall semester, playing games against teams from all over the West Coast, ranging from Division II, to Division III, to NAIA, to community colleges.
 
PLU will be the second NWC institution Northwest Indian will face with Lewis & Clark College prevailing 122-64 on Dec. 10. The Eagles were in action last weekend, falling 106-65 and 104-57 in a pair of games against Yellowstone Christian College.