TACOMA, Washington – For the first time in nearly two years, the Puget Sound men's basketball team takes on Willamette and Lewis & Clark this weekend. The Loggers host the Bearcats (Jan. 7) and Pioneers (Jan. 8) for the third and fourth Northwest Conference games of the season.
 
It's been a while
The last time Puget Sound went head-to-head against Willamette and Lewis & Clark was Feb. 2020 in Memorial Fieldhouse. The Loggers narrowly lost to the Pioneers, 89-87, but handedly beat the Bearcats, 94-66. Cal Hansen scored 26 points and pulled down 12 rebounds against Lewis & Clark.
 
The final tune-up
Earlier this week Puget Sound beat Portland Bible, 95-60, in Portland (Jan. 4). Cal Hansen scored 22 points, Grant Erickson netted 18, and Mussie Teclemariam added 13. Freshman guard Taj Phillips dished out eight dimes in the winning effort. It was the Loggers' final non-conference game of the regular season.
 
Around the NWC
The Loggers (6-5) are one of five NWC teams with an overall winning record. George Fox is also 6-5. Whitworth has the best overall record at 9-1, followed by Linfield (7-3) and Pacific Lutheran (7-4).
 
Better at home
Puget Sound is 5-2 at home this season. On average, the Loggers are outscoring the opposition 78-70 in Memorial Fieldhouse.
 
Scouting Willamette (3-7, 0-2 NWC)
The Bearcats have lost four of their last five games, including NWC losses against Whitman and Whitworth. Cedric Coward leads the team in scoring with 19.0 points per game. He is also the team's leading rebounder (10.3). Three more Bearcats average double digits in scoring: Jack Boydell (12.9), Jonathan Watts (12.4), and Daniel Plumer (12.1). Willamette is shooting 44.3-percent from the floor, and 31.5-percent from distance.
 
Scouting Lewis & Clark (6-4, 0-2 NWC)
The Pioneers enter the weekend with a three-game winning streak – which snapped a three-game losing streak. Jack Henderson's 16.3 points per game leads Lewis & Clark, followed by Brenden Patrick's 13.7 average. Solomon Davis' 6.3 rebounds per game leads the team. The Pioneers are shooting 44.0-percent from the floor, and 33.2-percent from beyond the arc.