NEWBERG, ORE.— The Pacific Lutheran University men's basketball team's offense torched the Bruins of George Fox University 96-70, as six Lutes scored in double-figures tonight for their second-highest offensive output on the year Saturday evening.

PLU improves to 10-9 overall and 4-6 in Northwest Conference play, which has the Lutes sitting in seventh place. Currently only two games decide spots four through seven in the NWC standings.

"What a great ending to a really tough week," Head Coach Chad Murray mentioned. "Our guys rallied around each other tonight and salvaged a win in a place that has been tough on us in recent years. We talked all week about what guys would need to fill the gap left by Mack and Charlie due to injuries. Zach Zuckerman, who got thrown in to the lineup played out of this world tonight. He played calm and shot the lights out. Dom Perasso was fantastic working from the high post. Ben also made some timely baskets when we needed him to. We are really excited for Tuesday as we try to avenge our earlier lost to UPS."

George Fox would begin the game on a 6-0 run causing the Lutes to call a timeout and come out with a higher sense of urgency. Ben Tellez and Dom Perasso would then set the tone for PLU trading back and forth buckets. Perasso would give the Lutes the lead 17-15 with 11:44 remaining and they wouldn't look back. Perasso got in a rhythm scoring 12 points in the next six minutes giving the Lutes a 33-23 advantage. PLU would get to the foul line and hit a myriad of mid-range jumpers from Tellez, Caleb Berry, Julian Brown and Henry Smith to end the first half up 51-35.

As the second half begins, Perasso and Cam Rice would keep the offense flowing for the Lutes. Now enters, Zach Zuckerman. Before today, Zuckerman had only made one three-pointer and was 1-of-12 from distance on the season. Zuckerman was instant offense for the Lutes nailing four three-pointers in an 11 minute span finishing with a career-high 17 points on 5-of-6 from downtown. The lead would continue to climb for the Lutes as Smith would get hot from outside to give PLU a 31 point lead with 5:08 remaining. Lutes would finish the game shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Perasso led all scorers with 22 points shooting 8-of-13 from the field with six assists and four rebounds. Tellez followed suit putting up 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting and three three-pointers. Smith would score in double figures for the sixth time in the last seven games. Rice and Brown would round out the top scorers scoring 11 points a piece. Rice finishing with his first career double-double as a Lute.

Pacific Lutheran resumes play on Tuesday, February 3rd as they take on the Loggers of the University of Puget Sound with tip-off aimed for 7:30 PM.