WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Dezman Baker scored 18 points, but it wasn't enough as the Puget Sound men's basketball team fell to the Whitman College Blues 84-68 on Saturday night.

Hugo Rutherfurd scored the first four points of the game with consecutive layups and continued to dominate the first half, leading the Loggers with nine points. The Loggers started off strong maintaining a small lead, but the Blues started to take control as they went on an 8-point run to gain a four point lead. 

The Loggers tied it back up with a dunk from Rutherfurd and a fastbreak layup from Liam Ruttledge, 27-27 with 4:14 left in the first half. In the final three minutes of the half, the Blues went on another 8-point run to make the score 43-33 at halftime. 

The Blues continued to dominate the second half taking a 23 point lead with 9:19 left in regulation. The Loggers couldn't gain momentum to narrow the deficit to less than two-digits, the Loggers then made a 13-2 run led by Baker that ended in an 11-point deficit, 73-60. Unfortunately, the Blues took that strong lead they made early in the secodn half all the way to the end. 
   
The Blues were quick to grab rebounds totaling 39 boards, where as the Loggers could only grab 23 boards. Baker led the defensive push with five rebounds, but most of the Loggers boards came off the bench. 

The Freshman helped lead the scoring with 11 points from Rutherfurd going 5-of-7 from inside and 12 points from Zane Miller going 4-of-6. Liam Ruttledge also contributed 11 points in the loss.

The Logger men's basketball team plays tomorrow, Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. in Spokane at Whitworth University.