FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Pacific Lutheran's Dylan Foreman stole a Pacific pass, drove the length of the court and banked in a leaner in the paint with 1.7 seconds left to lift the Lutes to a 54-51 men's basketball victory at the Stoller Center on Friday night.

The improbable finish moved PLU's record to 15-7 overall and to 8-5 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific fell to 10-12 on the year and to 4-9 in the NWC.

It was a wild stunning finish to a game that was a defensive struggle throughout and had numerous momentum swings.

PLU led by as many as eight points in the first half, using an 11-0 run to post a 24-16 lead with a little over seven minutes left. The Boxers closed that gap and tied it with five minutes left on a Bobby Ahern trey (24-24) but PLU took a one-point margin into the locker room at the break, 26-25. Both teams shot just under 33 percent in the first half, while Pacific was 1-of-7 from three-point range and the Lutes were 1-of-9.

Pacific Lutheran had the first momentum swing in the second half, taking a 39-30 lead with 14:32 to go, but Pacific answered with a 10-2 run and took the lead (46-45) on a Skyler Burgess free throw with 5:56 remaining. A three-pointer and a field goal by K.C. Harrison put the Boxers up 51-48, but PLU's Brandon Lester answered with a bucket to make it 51-50 Boxers with 2:15 remaining.

Both squads took turns missing shots and free throws until PLU's Jared Christy hit 1-of-2 charity tosses with 31 seconds remaining to tie the game at 51-51. The Boxers then called timeout and planned to work the clock down for the final shot--make it, the game is over. Miss, and you're headed to overtime.

But Foreman had other ideas. He stole a Pacific pass with four seconds left, drove the length of the court and banked in an off-balance shot from six feet out with 1.7 seconds left. And he was fouled. After a timeout, he hit the free throw to make it 54-51. After a Pacific timeout, the Boxers got the ball inbounded and up the court where Michael Joseph's 40-footer hit the back of the bracket and the game was over.

Harrison led the Boxers with 12 points and seven rebounds and Joseph added 11 points. Foreman and Lester had 12 each for the Lutes.

Both teams were ice cold from the field, with Pacific hitting 36 percent from the field and PLU 34 percent. Both teams converted just two three-pointers on the night. The Boxers were 2-of-16 and the Lutes 2-of-13.

The Boxers will return to the Stoller Center floor on Saturday night at 6 p.m., taking on Puget Sound. It will be Senior Night, as five Boxers will be honored before the game for their contributions to Pacific basketball.