TACOMA, Wash. — The University of Puget Sound women's basketball team is gearing up for another postseason run, opening the Northwest Conference tournament Friday against No. 2 seed George Fox.  

The Loggers (11-14, 10-6 NWC) enter the semifinal matchup as the No. 3 seed, looking to avenge last Friday's 71-61 loss to the Bruins (19-6, 11-5 NWC). The game tips off at 6:00 p.m. inside the Sherwood Center on Whitman College's campus.  

This year's Puget Sound squad is the youngest Head Coach Casey Kushiyama has taken into the postseason, with just two seniors—Addison Reardon and Emme Eisenman—leading the way. The Loggers are also the youngest of the four teams competing this weekend, making their experience an early test in win-or-go-home territory.  

A victory would send Puget Sound to Saturday's championship game, where they would face either top-seeded Whitman or No. 4 Linfield. That game is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Friday, with the title game to follow Saturday night.  

Kushiyama's team has proven they can rise to the occasion. Last season, the Loggers blasted their way through the first round of playoffs with a dominant 70-50 semifinal win over Willamette before edging out Pacific University, 61-57, to claim the NWC title. The postseason surge continued into the NCAA Division III Tournament, where Puget Sound upset No. 13 Carroll University, 74-65, before bowing out against No. 23 Wisconsin-Stout in the second round.  

The Loggers will need a strong defensive effort to contain George Fox, which has won six of its last seven games. Puget Sound, meanwhile, will look to its young core to step up in the season's biggest moment.  

Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. Friday and will be available to livestream here. The winner moves one step closer to a conference championship—and the NCAA tournament.