SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University outscored visiting Saint John's University 24-6 over the final eight minutes of the game to pull out a 65-56 win over the Johnnies in the second game of the Quality Oakwood Classic on Tuesday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates (5-4) rallied from 14 points behind in the second half to knock off SJU (7-3), thanks in part to a 24-point night by JT McDermott.  Whitworth did not take its first lead until less than five minutes remained in the game.

SJU scored the first two baskets and never trailed in the first half.  The Johnnies went up 16-6 on Brandon Adelman's three-point play, while the Pirates were missing their first six three-point attempts.  Whitworth got within 24-18 on Michael Smith's basket, but Adelman answered with a three-pointer and Mitchell Plombon scored inside to open a 29-18 margin.  McDermott made Whitworth's first three-pointer to get the Bucs back within 29-23, but Adelman came through again with another three for the Johnnies, who led 32-23 at the break after they made 52% from the field in the opening half.  Adelman had 11 at the half for SJU.

The Johnnies opened the second half with a 6-1 run to open their largest lead of the game (38-24) on Ryan Thissen's bucket.  The Pirates answered with a 9-2 run to get within 40-33 on Rowan Anderson's three-pointer.  Sullivan Menard's layup trimmed the deficit to 46-41 before Plombon's dunk put SJU up 50-41 with 8:37 to play.  Whitworth limited the Johnnies to only six points the rest of the way.

The Pirates began the comeback with a 15-0 run over the next five minutes, tying the game 50-50 on McDermott's driving layup and taking their first lead on the next possession when Jake Holtz made a short jumper.  McDermott hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to give Whitworth a 59-52 lead with 2:52 to play.  The Johnnies got back within 59-56 after four straight points by Thissen, but Smith responded with a three-point play on a back door cut with only 37 seconds to go. 

Holtz scored 15 points off the bench and led the Bucs with eight rebounds.  Smith finished with 13 points and seven boards, as Whitworth held a 33-29 edge in rebounding.  The Pirates shot only 35% in the first half, but made 55% of their shots in the second half.

Thissen scored 19 points for the Johnnies and Adelman finished with 11 after not scoring in the second period. 

Whitworth will take on Mary Hardin-Baylor on Wednesday night in the tournament finale, while Saint John's plays Linfield.

UMHB rolled past Linfield 78-61 in Tuesday's opening game, behind 23 points from All-American guard Josiah Johnson.