Box Score NEWBERG, Ore. – Trailing by seven points with less than eight minutes to play in the game, 21st-ranked Whitworth rallied to beat George Fox 92-90 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Friday night at Miller Gymnasium.
The Pirates (11-3 overall, 5-0 NWC) earned their first road victory of the season and remain tied atop the NWC standings.
Whitworth led most of the first half, jumping out 9-4 on a three-point play by JT McDermott. GFU (6-8, 2-3) rallied to tie the game 12-12 on a basket by JD Ahlstrom. The Pirates went on a 13-3 run to open up a 25-15 lead and then went ahead 29-17 on Liam Fitzgerald's second dunk of the half. George Fox chipped away and took its first lead at 34-33 on Levi Dalzell's bucket with just under four minutes to play before the Bucs answered with a 7-0 run, including a Fitzgerald three-pointer. Ahlstrom hit a three just before the buzzer to get the Bruins within 42-40 at the break. Fitzgerald led the Pirates with 12 points in the first period.
Whitworth stretched the lead to 49-42 on a Ben College three-pointer early in the second half. George Fox fought back to retake the lead 56-54 on a basket by Quinn Lacey. When Zach Sly converted a pair of free throws with 7:42 to play, the Bruins had taken a 72-65 lead and looked for their first win over the Bucs in the last 12 games.
Trailing 75-70, Whitworth outscored GFU 10-2 over the next three minutes to go up 80-77 on a basket by Isaiah Hernandez. Garrett Hull's basket with 1:25 to play increased the lead to 86-81. Whitworth was able to hold onto the lead when Hernandez went 4-4 from the free throw line in the final minute. The Pirates survived a last-second three-pointer by Ryan Lacey.
College scored 16 of his game-high 23 points in the second half for Whitworth. Hernandez came off the bench for 17 points and seven rebounds in his first game back in three weeks after an injury. Fitzgerald finished with 14 points. Garrett Hull tallied with a double-double of 11 points and ten rebounds and led the team with five assists.
After shooting only 39% in the first half, the Pirates made 52% in the second period. Whitworth also used 18 offensive rebounds to hold a 48-31 advantage on the boards.
Lacey scored 19 points and Ahlstrom scored 18 to lead GFU.
Whitworth will conclude its first NWC road trip of the season with a game at Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday night.
