FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Miles Nash dropped a career-high 24 points and hauled down a career-best 13 rebounds as the Pacific Lutheran University men's basketball team snatched a 73-65 victory over Northwest Conference rival Pacific University on Friday night inside the Stroller Center. 

"This one was much needed and how it transpired was almost exactly the way we knew we had to play. With tremendous energy and effort the guys pulled together on the defensive end to grind this one out," said Head Coach Chad Murray.

"We finally found something in the second half that was working for us offensively and we were able to get to the line and get some separation. I'm really proud of the way the team bonded together. You could tell from the start, all of us were on the same page in what we wanted and how we wanted to do it."

The homestanding Boxers (13-10, 7-7 NWC) enjoyed a nine-point lead on a layup with 15:26 remaining in the game. The Lutes (12-10, 5-8 NWC) refused to back down with a Mack Hepper trey on the ensuing possession sparking a 13-2 Lute run. A Jack Williams layup with 10:55 left tied the game before a pair of Nash free throws pushed PLU ahead for the first time since halftime with just under 10 minutes to go. 

A Boxer three temporarily shifted the lead back to Pacific but PLU scored the next eight points, including a fast break layup from Jason Montes to establish a seven-point buffer with 4:45 remaining. The Lutes led the rest of the way, increasing its gap to double digits on a Hepper dunk with 11 ticks left and walking off the court with a hard earned eight-point road win.

Neither team led by more than five points in an opening half with five lead changes and four ties as PLU held a slim 33-32 edge at the break.

Nash feasted at the free throw line, making 15 of his 24 points at the charity stripe while also adding 13 boards and four assists to lead both teams in scoring and rebounding. Brandin Riedel added 14 points, shooting seven-for-10 from the floor with five rebounds while Montes added 14 points and five boards off the bench. 

PLU thrived at the free throw line, making more free throws (22) than the Boxers had attempts (eight). The Lutes shot just 36.7 percent (11-for-30) in the opening half but scorched the nets in the second stanza, draining 24 of their 51 attempts (61.9 percent). PLU outmuscled Pacific 42-34 in the paint while utilizing a deeper bench with the Lute reserves outscoring the Boxer reserves 23-15.

PLU is back on the hardwood tomorrow evening, heading to Portland for a 6 p.m. showdown with Lewis & Clark College.