SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat visiting Lewis & Clark College 74-55 in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Saturday night.
The Pirates end the season 10-15 overall and 5-11 in the NWC, sending their four seniors out with a victory. Talia Brandner, Megan Dorney, Quincy McDeid and Taylor Smith were recognized before the game.
The visiting Pioneers (11-14, 6-10) opened the game with great sportsmanship, allowing Whitworth to win the tip and give the ball to Brandner for a basket. Brandner has been out for the season since December with a knee injury. L&C was given a free basket and then the Pirates allowed a tie up so the Pioneers would begin the actual game with possession.
Lewis & Clark led 14-13 after the first quarter. The Pioneers jumped ahead 6-2 on a jumper by Delsie Johnson and still led 10-6 after a basket by Charlotte Carroll. Kimberly Dewey's three-pointer gave Whitworth its first lead at 12-11, but Laurel Marchant answered with a three for L&C.
Johnson scored the first basket of the second quarter, for a 16-13 Pioneer lead. Whitworth responded with a 9-0 run, including seven points by Dewey, to take a 22-16 advantage and never trailed again. Taylor Smith's three-pointer stretched the margin to 27-20 and the Bucs led 36-27 at the break after a pair of free throws from Dawson Driggs.
L&C fought back in the third, pulling within 41-40 on a three-point play by Johnson. But the Pioneers could never inch back into the lead. Whitworth led 48-44 after three after a pair of free throws from Olivia Mayer.
L&C got within 49-46 on Piper Curry's layup one minute into the fourth. Whitworth took over the game by scoring the next 13 points. Smith had a three-pointer in the run and McDeid had two, her final one giving Whitworth a 62-46 lead with 5:55 left. L&C would not get closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Dewey scored a career-high 15 points to lead the Pirates, while McDeid scored 11. Mayer led the Bucs with 11 rebounds to give Whitworth a 47-30 edge on the boards.
Johnson had 18 points and nine rebounds to lead L&C and was the only Pioneer in double figures.
Whitworth and L&C split the season series.
