TACOMA, Washington – With its best conference record in five years and a #2 seed for the Northwest Conference Tournament, the Puget Sound men's basketball team heads to Walla Walla, Washington, where the Loggers' postseason begins. The Loggers tipoff against Whitworth Friday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. The NWC Championship game is Saturday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m.
 
The last postseason bid
This is Puget Sound's first NWC Tournament appearance since the 2018-19 season, when Whitman beat the Loggers in the semifinal round.
 
The field
Whitman is the regular-season conference champion and the #1 seed for the NWC Tournament. The Loggers take on #3 Whitworth, and #4 George Fox goes against Whitman in the NWC Semifinal round.
 
The season
Puget Sound finished the regular season with an 18-7 overall record and an 11-5 NWC mark. Both of those records match the 2017-18 campaign.
 
A postseason history with Whitworth
The Pirates beat the Loggers in the 2018 and 2016 NWC Semifinals, and Whitworth beat Puget Sound in the 2014 NWC Tournament Final.
 
Anything goes
Puget Sound has at least one win against each NWC Tournament team this season. The Loggers split the season series with both Whitman and Whitworth, and Puget Sound beat George Fox twice.
 
Bountiful boards
Grant Erickson is averaging 6.8 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the NWC. Mussie Teclemariam's 6.6 rebounds per game rank fifth. They each have four double-doubles this season.
 
Taj's dish
Taj Phillips ranks second in the NWC for assists with 4.9 per game. He has six or more assists in 12 games, and the Loggers are 10-2 in those games. As a team, the Loggers rank second in the NWC for assists per game (16.08).
 
Scouting Whitworth (16-9, 11-5 NWC)
The Pirates are the best rebounding team in the NWC, averaging 38.2 boards per game. Three players average more than 12 points per game: Jake Holtz (12.7), JT McDermott (13.2), Michael Smith (13.3). McDermott is also the team's leading rebounder (6.4). Whitworth's conference losses this season include Puget Sound, Whitman, Linfield, Pacific Lutheran, and George Fox.