McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Guard Emily Spencer scored 20 points and produced eight steals, leading the George Fox Bruins past the Linfield Wildcats 83-47 in Northwest Conference women's basketball action Saturday night at Wheeler Sports Center.
 
1st Half
The Bruins held the Wildcats to just four field goals in the opening 20 minutes, though Linfield kept the score close in the first period thanks to an 8-for-10 performance at the free throw line.
 
George Fox raced to a fast 6-0 lead before Linfield settled down and worked its way back to within two points, 12-10, with 1:31 left in the opening period. The Bruins used their size advantage to work free for 12 points in the paint during the game's first 10 minutes. Star Kaitlin Jamieson was limited to two points in the first quarter but warmed up with six points in the second period.
 
A 15-3 run early in the second quarter blew the game open. George Fox went 6-for-6 from the field during the game-altering spurt.
 
Linfield shot a paltry 18 percent from the field in the first half, sinking 4 of 22 attempts. Though George Fox went 1-for-11 from three-point range in the first half, it mattered little as the Bruins sank 14 of 32 shots overall on the way to a commanding 37-21 edge at the break.
 
Jamieson and Spencer both totaled eight points in the opening two quarters. Audrey McMillan paced Linfield with six first-half points.
 
2nd Half
Down by 16 points as play resumed, the Wildcats fell into an even deeper hole as the second half moved along. The Bruins' Tavin Headings scored 10 of her 12 points in the third quarter as GFU extended its edge to 19 points, 54-35.
 
The Bruins' lead eventually stretched to 38 points with under two minutes remaining.
 
Linfield ledger
McMillan and Jade Everage topped Linfield in scoring with eight points each. Guarded closely in the paint by the Bruins, Genna Hughes struggled through an 0-for-10 shooting night. Hughes did lead the Wildcats on the backboards, totaling six rebounds. Bailey McDevitt blocked two shots, grabbed five rebounds and scored five points in a starting role.
 
Leading scorer Kory Oleson went 1-for-9 from the field and totaled four points. Whitnie Warren came off the bench to hit all three of her shot attempts and ended with a season-high six points.
 
For the game, Linfield shot 23.9 percent from the field. George Fox counted with a 41.7 shooting percentage. The Wildcats coughed up a season-high 29 turnovers, including 17 in the second half, as the game was unraveling.
 
Bruins by the numbers
Spencer sank 7 of 10 shots from the field, grabbed three rebounds and had three assists to carry George Fox. Headings finished with 12 points, and Jamieson had nine points and seven rebounds.
 
Where they stand
Linfield slipped to 8-11 overall and 4-6 in the NWC, falling into a tie for fifth place in the standings with Puget Sound, which won Saturday at Whitworth. George Fox (16-3, 9-1 NWC) remained in second place in the standings, trailing only league leader Whitman.
 
Ahead
Linfield heads to Salem for a Tuesday night contest against the Willamette Bearcats. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Cone Field House.