TACOMA, Wash. — A 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter put the Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team in the driver's seat on Saturday afternoon, disposing of Northwest Conference rival George Fox University 53-44 inside Olson Gymnasium.
The Lutes (4-9, 1-3 NWC) had their best defensive effort of the season in the win, holding the visiting Bruins to just two points in the second quarter. That staunch defensive effort included the flustered Bruins (10-3, 2-2 NWC) going one-for-13 from the field and was the fewest points PLU has allowed in a quarter against an NCAA team since the game moved from halves to quarters prior to the 2015-2016 campaign.
Despite that effort, George Fox hung around, tying the game with 8:17 left in the fourth quarter on an Alyssa Wells three-pointer. PLU responded to the challenge, scoring the next 12 points to install a double digit edge with 3:18 remaining in the game. An
Ashley Akamine layup ignited the run that saw
Brooke Samura score eight of those points, including the jumper with just over three minutes to go to give the homestanding Lutes a 12-point cushion.
GFU cut the lead to five with under a minute to go but a Taylor Schmitdke layup and free throws down the stretch kept the visitors at bay the rest of the night.
"We've challenged this team to believe they're capable of being great and they played like they believe it tonight," said Head Coach
Lee Aduddell.
"We took their punches and responded each time. This was a great win for our program."
PLU scored the opening four points but it was a volatile opening quarter that saw the Bruins ahead 14-13 after 10 minutes of play. PLU's defense flexed its muscles the next quarter, allowing just one field goal and keeping the Bruins off the scoreboard for the final 8:10 of the period, enjoying an eight point lead at the break.
PLU's lead was whittled down to just five points heading into the fourth quarter before the Bruins tied the game by scoring the first five points of the fourth.
Samura was a spark off the bench, leading the team with 15 points and eight rebounds while also getting two assists and two steals. Schmidtke had 12 points, going a perfect five-for-five from the free throw lone while Akamine added nine points.
Stacie Spahr had an active night opn the glass. grabbing eight rebounds while blocking two shots.
PLU's depth proved to be a decisive factor on Saturday with the Lute reserves outscoring GFU's bench by a 30-8 margin. PLU enjoyed a 32-22 edge in points in the paint and limited the Bruins to shooting just 21.9 percent (14-for-64) as a team and just 15 percent (three-for-20) from beyond the arc.
The Lutes are back in action Tuesday night, facing University of Puget Sound at 8 p.m.
