Setting the Scene: It's "The Rivalry" as crosstown nemesis University of Puget Sound heads to campus to take on the Lutes inside Olson Gymnasium in the penultimate game of the regular season.
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 Loggers 88 times since 1980 with Puget Sound holding a 61-27 edge in the all-time series. UPS prevailed 70-58 last time the two squads met back on Jan. 18.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (6-15, 3-11 NWC) played three close games last week, winning one of the three contests. The Lutes slipped past Linfield University 66-61 on Wednesday in the squad's final road game. Maddie Plevyak was the headliner in the win, dropping a career-best 18 points.
On Friday, the Lutes got 18 points from Josie Napoli and outscored Whitworth University by five in the third quarter but ultimately came up short 78-71 to the Pirates. The following night the Lutes held an 11-point leading heading into the fourth quarter against sixth-ranked Whitman College but eventually ran out of steam, stumbling 73-70 inside Olson Gymnasium.
Napoli leads the Lute scoring attack this year, averaging 14.6 points per game while Ava Edmonds adds 11.7 ppg and a team-best 6.4 rebounds per game. Stacie Spahr is the Lutes' top rebounder, hauling in 7.8 per game.
About the Loggers: Puget Sound (18-4, 11-3 NWC) makes the short trek across town having won four of its last five games. The Loggers lone slip up during that stretch was an 84-70 loss to nationally-ranked Whitman last Friday.
Aside from Whitman, UPS has picked up wins over Linfield University (81-50), Lewis & Clark College (69-66), Willamette University (68-54), and Whitworth (76-63).
Sophie Nilsson is the Loggers' leading scorer, averaging 16.8 ppg and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game. Kennedy Brown adds 11.0 ppg while Samantha Swartout carries a 9.8 ppg average along with hauling in 5.8 rpg.
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Next Home Game:
Feb. 18 vs. Linfield University at 6 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