McMINVILLE, Ore. -- The Loggers officially clinched a spot in the Northwest Conference tournament, taking down the Linfield Wildcats 74-67. 

How it Happened
Dezman Baker got the log rolling off the tip, laying it in to give the Loggers the first bucket of the game. After Hugo Rutherfurd drilled a three, the Wildcats responded with nine points of their own to make it a 9-5 game. Ian Cook made a tough and-one, but the Wildcats continued to hold the lead. Cook made a three to pull within one, and a layup by Trevon Hamilton made it 21-19 in favor of the Loggers. 

Hamilton made another quick bucket, and Rutherfurd slammed home a dunk to extend the Logger lead to four. The Wildcats came back into the game, tying it up at 29 apiece. Zane Miller knocked down a three, but Linfield responded with one of their own. The Logs took a 34-32 lead into halftime, as Baker hit two free throws to put Puget Sound on top. 

Baker started the second half with another bucket, and Aaydan Saucedo hit a three to put the Loggers on top. Rutherfurd found some room in the paint, making it a 41-36 ball game. The teams continued to trade buckets back and forth, until Rutherfurd layed it in and hit a three to put the Loggers back up five. This sparked an 8-1 run, giving Puget Sound a nine-point lead with just over 11 minutes to go. 

The Wildcats pulled the game back, but a pair of buckets by Miller and Cook extended the Logger lead to double-digits for the first time all game. A Rutherfurd layup extended their lead to 12 with two minutes left, all but sealing the deal. Linfield hit back-to-back threes to cut it close, but they ran out of time. Two final free throws by Miller sealed the deal, giving the Loggers their first Northwest Conference Tournament appearance since 2024. 

Top Performers
Rutherfurd shot 8-12 from the field to finish with 18 points, also adding 6 rebounds to his total. Cook finished with 14, and Miller and Baker both had 11. 

What Happens Next
The Loggers take on Whitman on February 20th, starting at 7:30 pm.