Despite a career high 30 points from senior Jay Merriweather (Buena Park, Calif.), the Pacific University men's basketball team dropped its season finale to host George Fox University, 89-84 on Saturday in Newberg. 

The Boxers (12-13, 6-10 NWC) shot 43.2 percent for the game and were led by Merriweather's 30 points - 25 points coming in the second half. Fellow senior Nate Olowo (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) notched his ninth double-double of the season with 15 points, 11 rebounds to go along with four blocks. Junior Brevin Brown (Everett, Wash.) tallied 12 points and dished out four assists in the contest. 

The Bruins (8-17, 4-12 NWC) were led by Mason Green-Richards who scored 30 points including four three-pointers. George Fox shot 43.7 percent from the field and hit 11 three-pointers in the game. Also in double figures for the Bruins were Thomas Rico, who scored 14 points and Ryan Lacey, who added 12 points. 

The Bruins used an 8-0 run early in the game for an early six-point lead. However, the Boxers answered with a 10-4 run of their own behind a pair of three-pointers by Brown. Pacific trailed by as many as seven points in the first half but battled back and tied the game at the 5:01 mark with a corner three-pointer by senior R.J. Collins (Hollister, Calif.). The Boxers held a 45-42 advantage after the first period, shooting 46.2 percent from the field, including all 15 of Olowo's points. The senior from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. also added six rebounds and two blocks in the half. The 27-18 rebounding advantage for Pacific played a key role in securing a first half lead, as they brought in eight rebounds on the offensive end. 

The second half saw the lead change hands a total of seven times, as the Boxer offense was fueled by the hot shooting of Merriweather. Merriweather opened the half on a 5-0 run of his own but the Bruins quickly fought back, taking the lead early in the second half. A Pacific 10-0 run gave the Boxers their largest lead of the game at nine midway through the second 20 minutes. However, it was followed by a 10-2 Bruin run to give George Fox back the lead. With under a minute remaining, the Bruins' Lacey drove down the lane and hit a layup to give George Fox the lead for the remainder of the game. 

The contest ends the 2017-18 season for the Boxers.