The number of games are dwindling for senior Cameron Schilling, whose performance Friday night could best be described as huge.
Schilling scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Drew Earnest hit four 3-pointers, and Pacific Lutheran downed the visiting George Fox Bruins, 84-72, in the Lutes’ next-to-last game of the season.
“That’s the kind of effort Cam gives every game, and it’s why he better be on the all-conference team,” Pacific Lutheran coach Steve Dickerson said.
“He gives it all every game and it was nice to see him rewarded.”
Schilling got PLU off to a good start with his double-double in the first half with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Lutes (8-16 overall, 6-9 Northwest Conference) would hit their first four 3-point attempts and take a 32-21 lead with 7 minutes, 9 seconds remaining in the half.
Pacific Lutheran out-rebounded George Fox in the first half, 23-13, including 10 offensive rebounds to the Bruins’ one.
The Bruins battled back to cut the lead to 36-31 at the half.
After the break, the Lutes took control behind freshman center Bryce Miller, who scored six of his 14 points in the first five minutes.
Sophomore guard Terrell Williams hit two floating jumpers to help the Lutes build a 59-47 lead with 10:47 left.
But George Fox (14-10, 9-6) came back again.
Three-point plays by Bruins guards A.J. Grant and Anthony Vasquez cut the lead to six with five minutes to go. But the Lutes handled the Bruins’ press and pulled away down the stretch.
“We’ve been so close all year,” Dickerson said. “Some of the reason we weren’t able to close out the games is due to our youth, but the way we’ve responded in the last four or five games is a really special way to close out this season.”
PLU forward Arvid Isaksen added 12 points.
Grant lead the Bruins with 20 points.
Pacific 66, at Puget Sound 61: Andrew Beatty’s two free throws with 22 seconds to go sewed up a come-from-behind win for the Boxers, who trailed by as many as 10 points midway through the second half.
A 13-0 Pacific run, capped by Daniel Zatani’s layup, gave the Boxers a 55-52 lead with six minutes remaining.
UPS (9-14. 4-11) was led by Derek Jobe’s 16 points.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
At UPS 67, Pacific 54: Amanda Forshay and Emily Sheldon scored the first 10 points of the game for the Loggers (14-10, 7-8 in NWC), who never trailed in defeating the Boxers at Memorial Fieldhouse.
Sheldon led UPS with 14 points.
Senior guard Kelsey McKinnis added five rebounds and five assists for the Loggers.
George Fox 69, at PLU 46: A 10-1 Bruins burst over a five-minute stretch early in the second half broke a 33-33 tie, and sent visiting George Fox to the victory at Olson Auditorium.
Samantha Potter tied the game with her layup four minutes into the second half, but the PLU offense went cold. The Lutes (6-17, 3-12) have lost nine consecutive games.
News Tribune staff contributed to this report.
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