TACOMA, Wash. -- The LeTourneau men's basketball team trimmed a 19-point deficit down to the just three in the final minute, but could not pull off the comeback in a 90-86 loss at Puget Sound on Monday night inside Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma.

It was the first all-time meeting between LeTourneau (3-1) and Puget Sound (1-3).

Caedmon Liebengood dropped 31 points, including 21 in the first half, while Jackson Mayes had 14 points -- all in the second half -- to aid in the comeback effort. Christian Adams totaled 12 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and five blocks. Alex Ferrell added eight points, Branson Lynn had nine points with two assists, and Walker Blaine had seven points with six rebounds and five assists.

A barrage of buckets early on from Puget Sound had the host Loggers in the driver's seat for the first half. Liebengood kept the YellowJackets in striking range as he scored the first 10 points of the game for LeTourneau, but Puget Sound used a 15-2 run midway through the half to open up a double-digit lead.

The deficit for LeTourneau grew to 19 (45-26) with three minutes left in the first half. LeTourneau sliced into that margin with a 13-4 run to end the half, capped by a Liebengood triple in the final seconds to get the YellowJackets within 49-39 at the break.

In the second half, LeTourneau kept crawling closer only to see the Loggers extend the lead back. The YellowJackets got within five on multiple occasions, but Puget Sound led by 10 (84-74) with 3:35 remaining.

LeTourneau had one more push left. Back-to-back buckets from Blaine and Liebengood made it a six-point game (84-78) with 3:04 left. Adams then drained a 3-pointer to get within five (86-81) and a LeTourneau defensive stop led to two made free throws from Adams to make it 86-83 with 1:13 left.

The YellowJackets produced another defensive stop and had a chance to tie the game with under a minute left. Mayes drove the baseline, but was turned away on a block with 14 seconds left.

Puget Sound made all four free throws in the last 15 seconds to seal the win.

The YellowJackets hit a season-high 10 3-pointers and 19 assists in the high-paced game. LeTourneau connected on 47.5 percent (28-of-59) from the field and went 20-of-25 from the foul line.

Puget Sound got 18 points from Liam Ruttledge and 14 points from Grant Erickson. The Loggers shot 49.3 percent (36-of-73) for the game with 11 3-pointers and 23 assists, led by eight from Taj Phillips.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau concludes its trip out west on Tuesday at George Fox (9 p.m. CST/7 p.m. PST).

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