PORTLAND, Ore. – Led by Sean Atkins' all-around game of 25 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and four assists, the George Fox University Bruins exploded in the second half for an 87-66 win over the Portland Bible College Wildcats in a non-conference men's basketball game Wednesday night here at the City Christian High School Gym.

The Bruins had opened the season with a pair of wins in which they sank a total of 32 three-point field goals, but the threes were not falling for them against Portland Bible, resulting in a first half in which they never trailed but could never shake the Wildcats.  There were four ties in the early going, the last at 8-8 before a three by Jonny Howard gave the Bruins the lead for good at 11-8 with 16:51 to go in the opening period.

A conventional three-point play by Atkins pushed the George Fox margin to 11, their largest of the first half, at 23-12 with 9:15 left.  The Wildcats answered with a 7-0 run of their own over the next two minutes, four of them on baskets by Raymon Taylor, who was a thorn in the Bruins' side all game long, to cut the deficit to 23-19.  PBC three times got within a point, the last at 34-33 on a pair of free throws by Taylor with 2:13 left, but could never get in front.  The halftime score was 38-35 Bruins.

The gap was still only two at 49-47 following a Taylor jumper with 16:05 to play - and then the Bruins got going.  Over the next six-and-a-half minutes, the visitors out-scored the home team 17-1 to build an 18-point advantage of 66-48 with 9:48 left.  Atkins contributed nine of those points on four field goals, including a trey to start the rally. 

The Wildcats got no closer than 14 points the rest of the way.  The Bruins continued to extend the lead, making it a 27-point difference at 87-60 on a steal and feed by Eli Graham to Spencer Bolte at the 3:24 mark.  PBC scored the final six points of the game for the final margin.

Atkins hit 9-13 from the field and 6-7 from the line for his big scoring night for the Bruins while establishing career highs for assists and steals.  He got help from Bolte with 19 points and Howard and Graham with 14 apiece.  Bolte added seven rebounds as the Bruins won the glass 37-36, while A.J. Grant also had four assists.  George Fox finished with a .493 shooting percentage (but only .217, 5-23, on threes) and a .696 mark (16-23) from the line.   

Taylor topped the 'Cats with 24 points, sinking 11-14 from the field, and 12 rebounds.  Affice Johnson and Jeremiah Ridgeway scored 11 apiece for PBC, with Ridgeway adding four assists.  PBC shot .456 (26-57) from the floor, only .111 (2-18) from behind the arc, and .667 (12-18) from the charity stripe.

George Fox improved to 3-0 on the season, its best start since the 1998-99 Bruins went 5-0 to begin play.  Portland Bible fell to 2-10 with its 10th consecutive loss.

NEXT: George Fox plays its home opener, the first of four straight at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym, Saturday at 7:00 p.m. vs. Concordia University-Portland … Portland Bible hosts Mount Angel College Saturday at 5:00 p.m.