TACOMA, Wash. – The University of Puget Sound men's basketball team (6-7, 1-3 NWC) earned their first home conference win of the season this afternoon, defeating the Linfield Wildcats (5-8, 2-2 NWC) in a decisive 92-73 victory.

The game began with a slow start for the Loggers, who trailed 5-12 early. However, a mid-first-half rally sparked the resurgence of Puget Sound's offense, allowing the Maroon & White to take the lead, which they stretched to 36-21 at its largest point.

Senior Taj Phillips continued to add to his career scoring total after surpassing the 1,000-point milestone in last night's game against Pacific University. Phillips contributed an additional 23 points tonight, including shooting 2-2 in 3PT attempts. Teammates Liam Rutledge and Hugo Rutherfurd also delivered strong performances, scoring 16 and 15 points, respectively. Puget Sound led at halftime, 49-38.

The Loggers maintained their momentum throughout the second half, taking advantage of Linfield's struggles with shooting and rebounding. Puget Sound dominated second-chance opportunities, scoring 26 second-chance points compared to Linfield's twelve. The largest lead of the game came with 5:19 remaining, as Will Pohland sank a three-pointer to give the Loggers a 24-point edge at 78-57.

The game concluded 92-73, sending the Wildcats home with a loss. The Loggers next play this Tuesday, January 14th, when they take on Pacific Lutheran. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.