by Kelsey Segren, Sports Information Assistant

SPOKANE, Wash. – A Macey Morales game-winning three-pointer lifted the Whitworth Pirates to a 93-92 overtime victory over the Puget Sound Loggers in Saturday night's Northwest Conference women's basketball contest.

Whitworth (2-1, 2-1 NWC) led by as many as 20 points, but Puget Sound (2-4, 2-4) continued to narrow the margin in the second half, outscoring the Pirates 30-19 in the fourth quarter to push the game into overtime. The Loggers took their first lead of the game on a pair of free throws with just 27 seconds left in overtime, before the Morales game-winner with 2.8 seconds on the clock.

Whitworth grabbed an early 12-3 lead going into the first media timeout. Quincy McDeid and Dawson Driggs combined for seven consecutive free throws in a 10-0 Pirate run, followed by a three from McDeid to extend the margin to 24-9 with just under a minute remaining in the period. McDeid scored eight points in the opening quarter to help the Pirates take a 24-11 lead into the second.

The Pirates went on a 12-0 run to go up 40-20 with 03:20 left in the second, which included a pair of three-pointers from McDeid.

Whitworth shot 51.9% (14-27) from the floor and made 11 of 12 free throws over the first two periods to take a 44-27 lead into the break. Puget Sound shot 28.1% (9-32) in the first half, making only two of 16 attempts from beyond the arc.

Puget Sound cut the deficit to 52-43 with 02:44 left in the third thanks to six straight points from Samantha Swartout. A layup from Devyn Cope gave the Pirates a 61-50 lead entering the final quarter.

The Loggers scored 18 points in the first three and a half minutes of the fourth on 7-7 shooting, but Whitworth maintained a 75-68 lead, as Talia Brandner made three shots from beyond the arc in this span. UPS then went on an 8-1 run to tie the game at 76-76 with just under three minutes on the clock. UPS tied the game twice more, sending the game into overtime on a layup with three seconds left in regulation from Katie Minnehan.

UPS took its first lead of the game with 27 seconds left in overtime on a pair of free throws from Jordyn Reverman. Whitworth then turned the ball over and fouled Puget Sound, who then made one of two free throws for the 92-90 advantage. Morales put up a three-point shot with 2.8 seconds on the clock to earn the 93-92 win.

Brandner led the Pirates in scoring, tying a career-high 22 points on the game, including shooting 4-7 from three-point range. McDeid finished with 17 points. Keara Simpson finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points with 10 rebounds. Dorney and Morales also scored 11 points each. Whitworth shot 55% (11-20) from three-point range on the game.

Reverman led the Loggers with 19 points on 8-10 shooting. Sophie Nilsson and Swartout both finished with 16 points, while Minnehan tallied 13.

Whitworth plays on the road next weekend in a pair of games against Pacific Lutheran.