Box Score SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth women's basketball team
used a 44.1 percent three-point field goal percentage as the
Pirates hit 15 three-pointers en route to a 72-59 win over Puget
Sound in Northwest Conference action on Saturday evening in
Whitworth Fieldhouse.
Whitworth improves to 7-1 overall, 2-0 in NWC action, while
Puget Sound falls to 6-3, 0-2 in the NWC.
"We had another great team effort with seven players scoring 6
or more points," Whitworth head coach Helen Higgs said.
Puget Sound jumped out to an early 7-6 lead over Whitworth, but
senior Lauren Picha
made one of her six three-pointers to put the Pirates up by two.
Freshman KC McConnell
took advantage of a Logger turnover on the following possession by
hitting a three-pointer of her own to give Whitworth a five point
lead. Once in the lead, the Bucs continued to push, going up by as
many as 16 points in the first half. At the break, Whitworth led
34-25.
The Loggers used back-to-back layups to cut Whitworth's lead to
five after halftime, but senior Emily
Guthrie and Picha hit back-to-back threes to push the Pirates
ahead by double digits again. In addition to their 15
three-pointers, the Bucs turned 21 UPS turnovers into just as many
points, and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds. The Pirates also had 12
steals on the night, with Guthrie and McConnell each having a
game-high three steals apiece.
"Three-pointers were key in the win as we outscored them by 18 from
beyond the arc," Higgs said. "Offensive rebounding and
forcing turnovers also created extra possessions for us which was
huge in beating a very talented UPS team."
Picha finished the night 6-9 from beyond the arc for a
season-high 18 points to lead Whitworth. Junior Jamie Lyons
added 12 while junior Kayla
Johnson came off the bench to chip in 10 for the Pirates.
Junior Kendra Lahue
and Emily Guthrie each grabbed seven boards to lead the Bucs in
rebounding. KC McConnell had five rebounds for Whitworth. Emily Travis
dished out four assists for the Bucs.
Kelsey McKinnis led the Loggers with 11 points. Sarah Stewart
added 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds for UPS. Emily
Sheldon had five rebounds for the Loggers, while Amanda Forshay had
three assists and two steals.
Whitworth travels to La Grande, Ore. to take on Eastern Oregon
at 5:00 pm on Sunday, December 8th.
