by Kelsey Segren, Sports Information Assistant

SPOKANE, Wash. – Jordan Smith scored 21 points to lead the Whitworth women's basketball team to a 75-69 upset victory over visiting George Fox in Saturday's Northwest Conference contest.

Whitworth (13-10, 6-8 NWC) led 71-68 with 1:08 to go, before Smith went 4-4 from the free throw line down the stretch to hold on to the win. It is the Pirates first win over George Fox (17-6, 9-5) since Feb. 15, 2014.

Whitworth shot 56.3% (9-16) from the floor in the first quarter, led by Smith's 11 points and three three-pointers. The Pirates went on an 8-0 run following the first media timeout to take the 19-11 lead. Smith hit her second and third three-pointers of the quarter in the run and the Bucs led 21-16 after one.

George Fox tied the game at 24-24 midway through the second quarter, after threes from Kaylee Bishop and Cassidy Posey. Sydney Abbott's three-point play brought the Pirates back up by three with 4:14 to go before the break. The Bruins took the lead on Hailey Hartney's third three-pointer of the game with less than a minute on the clock. Whitworth went into halftime up 31-30 after Abbott's basket to close the period.

Abbott opened the third with another three-point play for the Pirates, before the Bruins went on an 11-0 run to open a 41-34 lead. Talia Brandner stopped the run with a three halfway through the quarter followed by a pair of Courtney Gray free throws to get back within two. The Pirates tied the game at 48-48 after a layup from Abbott and a free throw from Smith with 45 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Whitworth outscored George Fox 27-19 in the final period. The Pirates took the 59-56 lead after a layup from Gray and three from Quincy McDeid. GFU tied it up twice more before the Pirates pulled ahead for good on a free throw from McDeid. McDeid kept it going making another three with 1:53 to go to bring the Bucs' lead to 69-64. Hailey Strowbridge got the Bruins back within three on a layup with just over a minute left before the Pirates forced a turnover and Smith made four free throws in the final 16 seconds to seal the game.  

Smith shot 4-9 from three as the Pirates finished 36.4% (8-22) from beyond the arc. Abbott finished with 19 points and seven rebounds and McDeid added 13 points. Gray grabbed 12 rebounds to tie a career-high for the senior. The Pirates outrebounded the Bruins 43-30, including a 15-7 advantage on the offensive boards.

George Fox finished 43.1% (25-58) from the field and 37% (10-27) from three-point range. The Bruins were led by Strowbridge's 20 points. Emily Holder added 13 points.

Up next, the Pirates take on Whitman in Walla Walla on Tuesday at 6 p.m.