LAS VEGAS – Whitworth picked up an 84-77 win over University of Wisconsin-Platteville in the D3hoops.com Classic on Sunday night as five players hit double figures in a balanced Pirate effort at the South Point Arena.

Colton McCargar scored 21 points to lead Whitworth (6-3), despite suffering flu-like symptoms throughout the day.  The Pioneers fell to 8-4.

Platteville hit six of its first eight three-point attempts, including back to back bombs by Jim Stocki, to gain control in the first half.  When Chas Cross scored inside UWP had taken a 34-23 lead – its largest of the game. 

But Whitworth rallied to tie the score at halftime.  Dustin McConnell's three-point play pulled the Pirates to within 40-37, then McCargar tipped the ball through the hoop as the horn sounded to get Whitworth into a 43-43 deadlock heading to the locker rooms.

When Taylor Farnsworth scored the opening bucket of the second half, the Pirates had taken their first lead since a Farnsworth basket made the score 10-9.  Christian Jurlina's three-point play extended the lead to 60-54 and two free throws by Kenny Love gave the Bucs their largest lead of the game (72-61) with under five minutes to play.

The Pioneers cut the lead to six points twice in the final two minutes, the final time when Stocki's fifth three-pointer of the game cut the margin to 79-73 with 43 seconds left.  But McCargar went 5-6 at the free throw line in the final 25 seconds to ice the game for Whitworth.

McCargar added seven rebounds to go with his game-high 21 points.  He was named to the all-tournament squad.  McConnell went 7-7 at the free throw line and finished with 13 points.  He also had four assists.  George Valle scored 12, Farnsworth had 11 and Kenny Love totaled ten. Jurlina grabbed a game-high nine rebounds as the Bucs finished with a 39-32 edge on the boards.

Whitworth made 52% (29-56) from the field in the game.

Five Pioneers also scored in double figures, led by Stocki's 17 points.  Cross had 16 points and six rebounds.  After UWP made 6-8 from beyond the arc to start the game, the Pioneers only connected on four of their next 17 attempts and finished 10-25.

Whitworth will open Northwest Conference play next Friday at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.