1/17/2025 11:39:00 PM – By: Antonio Arredondo (Click here for the original article)
NEWBERG, Ore. — The George Fox women’s basketball team bounced back from a loss in a big way, dominating wire-to-wire in a 72-50 victory over Whitworth.
How It Happened
From the opening tip it was clear that the Bruins meant business — and leading that charge was Alexa Borter. Borter opened that game with a block, rebound, and layup and continued to attack the interior of the Pirate defense; in the opening three minutes, Borter scored or assisted on the first eight of the Bruins’ points as Fox jumped out to a 10-4 lead. Whitworth steadied the ship in the remainder of the quarter, but the Bruins took a comfortable 16-11 lead following a quarter where every GFU shot was inside the paint.
Alyssa Wells expanded Fox’s range in the opening moments of the second quarter, nailing a triple to extend the Bruins’ lead. The Pirates continued to push, though, closing the deficit to three with three minutes remaining in the half. Once again, the Bruins turned to some outside shooting to help keep Whitworth at bay — though this time it was Paige Macduff, who knocked down her first career shot attempt on a corner trey. Bella Arrisgado ended the half on a high note with a layup, and Fox took a 30-24 lead into the break.
The third quarter was the moneymaker for the Bruins, who outscored the Pirates 26-11 in the period. Borter continued to be a stifling presence inside, rejecting three shots in the third period alone, and back-to-back triples from Kylie Ritter and Hanne Hopkins gave the Bruins their first double-digit lead at 12 points. Six different Bruins scored in the period, with Ritter scoring the final four to give her team a 56-39 advantage after three.
Fox continued to apply the pressure, dismantling a Pirate zone to open up the fourth on a bucket from Mia Skoro. The Bruin offense was humming throughout the second half, but four straight possessions that ended in a bucket for either Wells or Borter extended GFU’s lead to 21 and brought in the reserves. When all was said and done, Fox had earned a solid win, 72-50.
Top Performances
Alexa Borter continued to outdo herself in all facets of the game, coming within three blocks of a triple-double as she finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high seven blocks; over the past three games, Borter has recorded 14 blocks. Alyssa Wells led the team with 17 points, while Hanne Hopkins was the top Bruin in assists with five. Bella Arrisgado pestered the Pirates all night, tying her career-high with four steals. As a team, the Bruins shot 50% from the field, tying their season-high.
Coach’s Thoughts
“Tonight was a solid team win,” Bruin head coach Lauren Howard said, “every player on the team contributed well in the game. I am proud of the way we bounced back.”
What It Means
The Bruins moved to 11-3 (3-2 NWC) on the year, while the Pirates fell to 6-8 (3-2 NWC).
What Comes Next
Fox’s toughest test of the season will come on Saturday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m. when the No. 7 Whitman Blues (13-1, 5-0 NWC) come to town. The Bruins will look for a repeat of their last ranked matchup, when Hanne Hopkins downed the No. 15 Hardin-Simmons Cowgirls on a buzzer-beater to win, 59-57.