TACOMA, Wash. – The Puget Sound men's basketball team secured a thrilling 81-79 victory over Willamette in a closely contested Northwest Conference matchup this evening at Memorial Fieldhouse. The Loggers (13-11, 8-7 NWC) withstood a late surge from the Bearcats (9-14, 3-12 NWC) to claim the win, led by a standout performance from Taj Phillips.  

Phillips paced Puget Sound with a team-high 24 points, shooting an efficient 7-for-11 from the field, including three makes from beyond the arc. The senior guard also contributed five assists and went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line. Hugo Rutherfurd provided a strong presence in the paint, tallying 15 points, seven rebounds, and an impressive four blocks. Liam Ruttledge added 14 points, connecting on a trio of three-pointers and converting five of six free throws.  

The Loggers jumped out to a 42-33 halftime lead, fueled by 45.5% shooting in the first half. Willamette fought back behind a dominant effort from Kai Brown, who finished with a game-high 28 points, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Puget Sound maintained a lead for most of the second half, but Willamette's relentless attack closed the gap in the final minutes. With 2:24 left, Josiah Frank's layup tied the game at 75-75, setting up a tense finish. Zane Miller responded with a go-ahead jumper for the Loggers, and after a back-and-forth exchange, Rutherfurd tipped in a missed shot to give Puget Sound a 79-77 advantage.  

The Loggers iced the game at the free-throw line, as Will Pohland sank two clutch shots with seven seconds remaining to extend the lead to four. Brown's last-second layup cut the deficit to two, but a missed half-court attempt at the buzzer sealed the win for Puget Sound.  

As a team, the Loggers shot 47.5% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range, holding Willamette to just 36.1% shooting overall. Puget Sound also capitalized on its opportunities at the free-throw line, making 17-of-20 attempts (85%).  

With the victory, Puget Sound remains in the hunt for a strong finish in conference play. The Loggers will close out their regular season with a home matchup against George Fox at 4:00 p.m. this Saturday.