Setting the Scene: Pacific Lutheran University finishes off its first homestand of the NWC slate, bringing Oregon rival Willamette University to Olson Gymnasium.

Home Attendance Policy: Masks are required while inside Olson Gymnasium, regardless of vaccination status. Eating and drinking inside the building is also prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation and helping stop the spread of COVID-19.

Series History: This will be the 121st meeting between the two schools in a series dating back to the 1951-52 season. PLU holds a slim 64-56 edge in the series, including sweeping the season series during the 2019-2020 season.

About the Lutes: PLU (7-4, 2-0 NWC) dives back into conference play after taking on a pair of ranked opponents in Las Vegas at the D3hoops.com Classic.

Missing two starters, the Lutes fell 74-68 to 23rd-ranked Maryville College, a contest the Lutes' trailed by just a point with 58 seconds left. Jordan Thomas headlined the night, dropping 14 points while dishing out eight assists.

The following night, the undermanned Lutes received 15 points from Sean McCurdy but ultimately came up short, 56-53 to 19th-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

The Lutes already have two NWC wins under their belt, disposing of Lewis & Clark College 71-63 on Dec. 3 before downing Pacific University 97-84 the following day.

Seth Hall paces the team, averaging 20.7 points per game while McCurdy offers 11.7 ppg and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game.

About the Bearcats: Willamette (3-7, 0-2 NWC) heads into the weekend having dropped six of its last seven games. The Bearcats lone win during that stretch was a high-octane 98-95 victory over Warner Pacific University on Dec. 10.

Willamette opened NWC play against the Whits in early December, suffering a 99-70 home setback to Whitman College on the third before coming up short 94-81 the following day against Whitworth University.

Cedric Coward is the Bearcats top scorer, averaging 19.0 points per game in his first collegiate season while also hauling in a team-best 10.3 rebounds per game. Jack Boydell and Jonathan Watts average 12.9 and 12.4 ppg, respectively, while Daniel Plumer chips in 12.1 ppg.

Home Cooking: The Lutes have turned Olson Gymnasium into a tough place for opposing teams to play. Pacific Lutheran has won 10 of its last 11 home games, including all three home dates during the 2021-2022 season.

Stay connected to your favorite teams by downloading the official mobile app of the Pacific Lutheran University athletic department powered by SIDEARM Sports, available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

Featuring real-time news alerts, schedules, exclusive multimedia content, gameday details and more, the new PLU Athletics app is free and compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

To download the app to your smartphone or tablet, visit the Apple App Store (DOWNLOAD LINK) or Google Play (DOWNLOAD LINK) and search for "PLU Athletics."

Next Home Game:

Jan. 28: PLU hosts Pacific at 8 p.m.

PLU Non-Discrimination Policy: Pacific Lutheran University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Childress-White; 253-535-7361; TitleIX@plu.edu