BOX SCORE

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Lewis & Clark men's basketball team picked up a 79-72 win over Puget Sound on Friday night in the teams final home game of the 2011-12 season. The Pioneers honored their three graduating seniors prior to the start of the game.

The win improves the Pioneers to 13-11 on the season and 8-7 in Northwest Conference action. The victory also keeps the Pioneers play-off hopes alive, as the Pioneers are now tied with George Fox and Pacific Lutheran for fourth place in the conference. The Loggers fall to 18-6 overall and 10-5 in conference.

Senior PJ Taylor and junior James Hollins led all players with 16 points, while senior Marcus Wells knocked down 15 points. Junior Ross Erickson finished with the games only double-double, scoring 12 points, while collecting 13 rebounds. Freshman Bradley Carter scored 11 points in the Pioneer victory, while pulling down eight boards.

Kaleb Shelton led the Loggers with 15 points and eight rebounds. Anthony Gittens, Ryan Rogers, Edric Egberuare and Rex Holmes each finished with nine points.

Lewis & Clark dominated the first two minutes of the game, running up a 10-0 lead with four different Pioneers scoring. Carter increased the Pio lead to 17-6 with 16:24 on the clock with a jumper assisted by Erickson.

Back-to-back Erickson free throws made it a 14-point, 24-10, game with 12:09 remaining in the half. Shelton pulled the Loggers within 24-18 two and a half minutes later with a jumper in the paint.

It would be two full minutes before either side put the ball in the net. Hollins broke the scoring drought with a jumper off a Taylor steal. Caron Rayford increased the Pioneer advantage back to double digits moments later with a layup in the paint.

Puget Sound found itself down by 14 points once again after a Hollins jumper at the 6:09 mark made it a 32-18 game. Taylor earned the Pioneers their largest lead of the half in the final seconds of the period with a layup in the paint to send the Pios into the locker room ahead 42-27.

The Pioneers carried their momentum into the start of the second half, picking up an 18 point advantage after Hollins drained two free throws with 16:55 left in the game.

Puget Sound pulled within single digits after a Gittens free throw with 7:37 to play made it a 59-50 game. With 2:37 remaining in the game, Taylor converted on an unconventional three point play to put Lewis & Clark ahead 71-57.

The Loggers were not out of the game just yet, surging back with a 15-5 run in the last two minutes to pull within four points. Ahead 76-72 with seven seconds left, the Pioneers converted back-to-back free throws to pick up the 78-72 win.

The Pioneers return to action on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. in Forest Grove, when they take on Pacific in the final regular season game of the year.