TACOMA, Wash. – The new year didn't start as the Loggers had hoped as the Puget Sound men's basketball team fell 78-64 to crosstown rival Pacific Lutheran in Northwest Conference action on Wednesday. The Loggers (4-6, 0-3 NWC) looked to make a comeback late in the second half but the Lutes (3-9, 1-2 NWC) turned away the home team in the closing minutes.

The first half featured a pair of ties and three lead changes as the two rivals fought for control of the game. Derek Jobe put up 18 first half points to keep the Loggers within striking distance He was 6-of-10 from the floor and 5-of-9 behind the three-point arc.

Jobe accounted for more than half of the Loggers' points in the first half as the rest of the team combined to shoot just 21.7 percent. The Lutes' Andrew Earnest put up some equally as impressive numbers connecting on 5-of-7 shots, including 4-of-5 from long range, for 14 first half points.

Earnest led the Lutes to a 36-29 lead at the half.

In the second half, Rex Nelson scored the first six points for the Loggers as they cut the lead to four, trailing 39-35 with just under 17 minutes left. However, the Loggers went four minutes without a field goal as the Lute lead reached as many as 11 points.

The Lutes shot 45.2 percent in the second half while holding the Loggers to 38.7 percent shooting. Nelson went on to score 10 of his 12 points in the second half but the Lute lead climbed to as many as 19 points after a pair of Bryce Miller free throws made the score 68-49 with six minutes to go.

The Loggers did not go down quietly as the mounted a 10-0, capped by eight consecutive points from Rex Holmes, to cut the lead into single digits.

However, the Lutes responded with six key free throws in a row to push the lead back to a comfortable 15 points and they held on the rest of the way for the win.

Earnest led four Lute starters in double digits with 18 points. Nelson had 12 off the bench for the Loggers while Holmes and Riggs Yarbro each had 10 points.

The Loggers moved to 0-3 in the NWC for the first time in 13 years with the loss. They will look to get in the win column when they host Willamette on Friday at 8 p.m.