Box Score WHITTIER, Calif. – Quincy McDeid had 17 points and seven rebounds to help visiting Whitworth hold off Whittier 66-57 for its first women's basketball victory of the season.
The Pirates (1-3) led by as many as 15 points early in the second half before the Poets (2-2) pulled within one point in the fourth quarter.
Whitworth never trailed, opening a 13-6 lead after the first quarter. Leading 9-6, the Pirates got the final two baskets of the period by McDeid and Devyn Cope right before the buzzer.
Whittier pulled within 17-13 early in the second on a layup by Lainie James. Macey Morales scored the next five points on a pair of free throws and a three-pointer to extend the Pirates' lead to 22-13. Genevieve Symons made a bucket in the final minute to give Whitworth a 28-15 lead at the break.
Cope scored in the first minute of the second half to give the Pirates their largest lead of the game at 30-15. Teani White hit a three-pointer right before the third quarter buzzer to get the Poets within 47-40.
James scored again to get Whitter back to 49-48 early in the fourth. The Poets were within one point two more times, but Whitworth answered each time. Leading 54-53, the Pirates got back-to-back baskets from Megan Dorney for some breathing room at 58-53. Whitworth had a 61-57 lead with 51 seconds to play and outscored Whittier 5-0 at the free throw line in the final seconds.
Behind McDeid, Morales and Olivia Mayer each scored nine points off the bench. Whitworth made 41% (23-56) of its shots from the field and 71% (15-21) from the free throw line. McDeid was 8-10 at the charity stripe.
The Pirates finished with a 41-24 rebounding advantage, including a 16-6 edge in offensive boards.
White led Whittier with 17 points while James scored 12 points. The Poets made 46% (24-52) from the field and 50% (6-12) from the free throw line.
Whitworth returns to action this weekend at the David Wells Classic in Claremont, California, taking on Pomona-Pitzer on Friday and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday.
