SPOKANE, Wash. – Kenny Love scored a career-high 26 points to lead Whitworth to a 79-63 men's basketball win over visiting Linfield on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates improved to 11-2 overall and 4-0 in the NWC with their tenth consecutive victory.  The pesky Wildcats fell to 2-10, 0-3.

Love made 8-12 from the field, including 3-5 from three-point range, and also 7-9 from the free throw line to surpass his previous career high of 24 points set last season against SUNY-Old Westbury.

Whitworth had trouble shaking the Wildcats.  After the Pirates opened a 10-0 lead following Love's layup just over five minutes into the game, Linfield went on a 13-3 run to tie the game on consecutive baskets by Austin Murray.  The game was still tied 15-15 when the Bucs began to pull away with an 11-0 run that included eight free throws and a three-pointer by Matt Staudacher.  Whitworth would eventually take a 35-25 lead into halftime.

Love scored 20 of his points in the second half to help the Pirates pull away.  His three-pointer sparked a quick 8-0 run that extended the lead to 49-29 five minutes into the second period.  The lead reached 22 (59-37) when Love scored four straight points. 

But Linfield would not go away quietly.  The Wildcats put together a 12-2 run of their own to pull within 61-49 on a basket by Matt Woods with 8:15 still to play.  But Love answered that run with one of his three-pointers to stem the tide.  Whitworth would eventually stretch the advantage back to 22 points  (79-57) with just over two minutes to go before Linfield close the game with consecutive three-pointers from Trevor Howard and Murray.

Christian Jurlina added 19 points and George Valle scored 10 for the Pirates, who made 47% (23-49) of their shots in the game.  Taylor Farnsworth added seven points and a team-high six rebounds. 

Murray led Linfield with 22 points and a game-high seven rebounds.  Ryan Cali added 12 points and Howard also scored a dozen on four three-pointers.  Linfield made 51% (21-41) from the floor, but committed 19 turnovers.

Whitworth will return to action next Friday when the Pirates play at Pacific University.  Linfield concludes its Eastern Washington swing with a game at Whitman on Saturday.