The result gives Puget Sound a two game edge in the conference standings with three games remaining, as the seventh-ranked Loggers push their record to 18-3, 12-1, while the Bruins fall to 15-7, 10-3.
McVey, the Loggers go-to post man, lead all scorers with 30 points on 8-11 shooting, making 14 of 18 free throws and grabbing a game high 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, guard Curtiss was hot from outside, hitting a game high five three points on his way to 24 points on 7-12 shooting from the field.
Bruin guard Aaron Schmick led his team with 28 points, shooting 75% (9-12) from the field. George Fox's leading scorer Mark Gayman was held to seven points, 11 below his season average.
Playing with urgency from the get-go, the Loggers ran out to 16-4 advantage before George Fox rallied with a 14-4 run of their own, cutting the hosts lead to just two (20-18) with 5:55 remaining in the half. The Bruins would cut the deficit to one later in the half, but were never able to get over the hump as Puget Sound led wire-to-wire for their 19th consecutive home win over conference opponents. The hosts led 40-32 at intermission.
After an evenly played first six minutes of the second half, Curtiss got hot from the outside, hitting three 3-pointers in a span of one minute 35 seconds to push the Loggers to an 11-point advantage (66-55) with 11:53 remaining. The Bruins would cut the lead to five with 2:24 to go, but could get no closer as the Loggers sank their free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
For the game both teams shot well, Puget Sound ending the night 27-62 (43.5%) and George Fox making 27 of 58 attempts (46.6%), including 10 of 21 3-pointers. The Loggers countered with eight threes of their own, finishing the game shooting 47% from behind the arch.
Puget Sound hosts Linfield College tomorrow night in the final regular season home contest of the year, while the Bruins travel to Parkland to take-on the Lutes of Pacific Lutheran. Both games are scheduled to begin at 8:00pm.