NEWBERG, Ore. – The Puget Sound men's basketball team suffered a 98-77 loss at the hands of George Fox University in their first Northwest Conference match-up of the season on Saturday night. 

Liam Ruttledge led the Loggers with 17 points but it wasn't enough after George Fox secured a 20 point lead in the first half. Dezman Baker dropped 15 points, while Will Mathews and Taj Phillips both contributed nine points and five rebounds each. 

The first eight minutes the Loggers played great man defense and were able to get open for shots, but a few runs of missed shots from the Loggers and fast break opportunities from the Bruins they caught a 31-17 lead with 8:04 left on the clock in the first half. The Bruins finished the half with 18 fast break opportunities compared to the Loggers seven and 30 points in the paint. 

The second half was more evenly matched as the Loggers started to chop away at the 20-point lead following the first half, reducing the deficit to 12 points with 5:55 left in regulation, but the Bruins were shooting for 57.7% from the floor. The Bruins capitalized on their inside game scoring only 12 points outside the three-point line and maintaining their lead until the end. 

Off the bench, Zane Miller and Kobe Smith both dropped eight points while Miller added eight rebounds in the loss. 

The Loggers return home on Tuesday, Dec. 5 to face Pacific Lutheran University at 8 p.m. in Memorial Fieldhouse.