Setting the Scene: Pacific Lutheran University closes out its three-game homestand tonight, hosting Northwest Conference rival Lewis & Clark College.
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.
Online Ticketing: The Lutes have made it easier for fans to attend home sporting events, signing a deal with HomeTown Ticketing to be the department's official electronic ticket provider. Lute fans can now purchase basketball tickets online at GoLutes.com/tickets or on the HomeTown Ticketing mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.
Series History: The Lutes and Pioneers will be meeting for the 133rd time on Saturday since the series began during the 1938-1939 season. PLU enjoys a 73-59 advantage in the all-time series, winning the last five encounters, including a 71-63 triumph back on Dec. 3 in Portland.
About the Lutes: PLU (11-6, 6-2 NWC) remains in second place in the NWC standings after holding off George Fox on Tuesday night in a wild 67-66 overtime win.
The Lutes were rolling early against GFU, leading by as many as 18 points in the first half while enjoying a 34-19 edge at the halftime intermission. The Bruins battled back, first cutting deficit to single digits before erasing a four-point gap in the final 19 seconds to force overtime.
In overtime, Jordan Thomas hit a pair of free throws and Brett Williams made a late layup, as the Lutes held on for the one-point win.
Seth Hall paced the Lutes in the win with 17 points and 13 rebounds while Brandin Riedel poured on 15 points in just 12 minutes of action. Thomas added 12 points along with seven rebounds and a team-high five assists.
About the Pioneers: Lewis & Clark (6-10, 0-8 NWC) heads into the weekend looking to bust out of a six-game slide and collect its first league win of the season.
The Pios bested College of Wooster 72-67 in Santa Cruz, California on Dec. 19 but its been tough sledding since, dropping NWC games at the hands of Puget Sound (72-71), George Fox (99-89), Pacific (83-75 in OT), Willamette (82-78), Whitworth (92-67), and Whitman (82-60).
Brenden Patrick and Jack Henderson provide a one-two punch for L&C, averaging 15.3 points per game and 15.0 ppg, respectively. Henderson paces the squad on the glass, hauling in 6.5 rebounds per game while Ryan Cibull is L&C's top distributer, dishing out 3.4 assists per game.
Home Cooking: The Lutes have turned Olson Gymnasium into a tough place for opposing teams to play. Pacific Lutheran has won 12 of its last 13 home games, including all five 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:
Feb. 11: PLU hosts Whitworth 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