SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth women's basketball team hopes that its Northwest Conference schedule returns to normal this weekend when the Pirates host Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran. Friday's game against Puget Sound tips off at 6:00 pm and Saturday's contest vs. PLU will start at 4:00 pm. Friday's game will be televised regionally on SWX and both games will be carried live on KSBN radio 1230 am.
Whitworth requires all fans to wear a mask in the Whitworth Fieldhouse, regardless of vaccination status. Please plan accordingly. Fans unable to attend can find live links on the Whitworth women's basketball schedule.
The Pirates: Whitworth (5-7 overall, 0-3 NWC) had both of its games postponed last weekend, though one was postponed by only about 48 hours. The Pirates dropped their only contest.
Whitworth was originally supposed to host Pacific University on Friday night, but the Boxers were unable to make it to Spokane due to Thursday's heavy snowstorm. They did make it later in the weekend and on Sunday afternoon the Boxers defeated the Pirates 67-57 after rolling to a 23-point lead at halftime and a 28-point advantage early in the third. Whitworth was able to rally to within 13 points by the end of the third, but could not get closer in the fourth period until the final seconds. Olivia Mayer led the Pirates with 19 points and eight rebounds. Kimberly Dewey added 12 points off the bench, while Madison Hagen scored eleven. The Bucs struggled at the free throw line, making only 12 of 21 attempts.
Whitworth's game against Linfield University, originally scheduled for Saturday night, was also postponed when the Wildcats could not get out on Thursday to Walla Walla for a game at Whitman on Friday. Linfield and Whitworth will make up their game on Tuesday, January 18th as part of a women's-men's doubleheader.
Road Trifecta: During its Thanksgiving trip to California, Whitworth won three true road games in a row for the first time since the Pirates won their first six road games in a row on the way to a 14-0 start during the 2014-15 season.
The Opponents: The University of Puget Sound was ranked 21st in the latest WBCA Division III Coaches poll and listed with "others receiving votes" in the D3hoops.com rating. The Loggers are 11-1 overall and 4-0 in the NWC, riding an 11-game winning streak. Puget Sound defeated Willamette 69-51 and Lewis & Clark 90-83, both at home, last weekend. Sophomore guard Sophie Nilsson is averaging 17.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. First-year guard Addison Reardon adds 10.7 ppg and makes 50% of her three-point attempts this season. Whitworth and Puget Sound played three times last season. The Loggers won the first meeting in Spokane 78-59, but the Pirates rebounded to win the next night in overtime. Whitworth won the final meeting 67-62 in Tacoma in the final contest of the year for both squads.
Pacific Lutheran comes into the week 3-7 overall and 0-3 in the NWC. The Lutes are scheduled to play at Whitman on Friday before visiting Spokane on Saturday. PLU lost 63-48 at home to Willamette last Saturday, one day after its contest vs. George Fox was postponed by COVID protocols. First year guard Josie Napoli leads the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and assists (4.4 apg). Sophomore forward Eva Edmonds adds 11.2 ppg and 5.4 rebounds per contest. The Lutes won two of three against Whitworth in 2020-21. Whitworth won the opener 78-76 and led the second game in Spokane 37-26 at halftime when it was cancelled by COVID protocols. PLU won both games in Parkland, 69-60 and 65-45.
Dorney Does it: Megan Dorney has developed into Whitworth's leader on the court this season. She leads the team in scoring (13.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg) and makes 55% of her field goals. Defensively, she leads the team in steals (13).
NWC Preseason Poll: Whitworth is fifth in the NWC preseason coaches poll this season with 33 points. The Pirates just missed the conference playoffs in fifth position in both 2019 and 2020. There was no conference tournament in 2021 due to Covid-19. Whitman leads the poll with eight first place votes and 64 points. Pacific (Ore.) is second with one first place vote and 50 points.
NCAA Championship is Back: The NCAA Division III tournament is back in 2021-22 after getting cancelled last season. The first two rounds will take place March 4-5 on campus sites, as will the rounds of 16 and 8 on March 11-12. The Division III final four will be held at the A.J. Palumbo Center March 18-19 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
On the Air Again: Many of Whitworth's games are once again carried live this season on KSBN 1230am in Spokane. The broadcast schedule includes non-conference games in California and all Northwest Conference contests. The relationship between Pirate athletics and KSBN goes back to 1994, a span of more than 25 years. Bud Nameck is in his seventh season as the voice of Whitworth basketball. Nameck has more than 30 years of experience calling college basketball at Gonzaga University and Washington State.
The Coach: Joial Griffith is in her fourth season as the women's basketball coach at Whitworth University in 2021-22. She has guided the Pirates to a record of 31-27 in her two years, including two fourth place finishes in the Northwest Conference and a 4-4 mark during the COVID-19 schedule of 2020-21. Griffith took over for long-time Whitworth head coach Helen Higgs, who resigned after 24 seasons as the winningest coach in Pirate women's basketball history. Griffith spent one season with the Williams (Mass.) Ephs' women's basketball program. Prior to her year at Williams, she was the assistant coach at Claremont-Scripps-Colleges in Southern California, near where she grew up. The Athenas made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances during her two seasons, finishing 20-9 in 2017 and 23-6 in 2016.
Looking Ahead: Whitworth will host Linfield on Tuesday, Jan. 18 then travel to play at Lewis & Clark and George Fox on Jan. 21-22.
