SPOKANE, Wash. – JT McDermott's jumper as time expired lifted Whitworth to a heart-stopping 77-75 win over visiting Puget Sound in a key Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates (12-7 overall, 7-3 NWC) avoided a three-game NWC losing streak and stayed a game clear of the Loggers (13-6, 6-4) for second place in the NWC standings.

Michael Smith scored a career-high 30 points for Whitworth.

Unlike Friday night's loss vs. Pacific Lutheran when Whitworth missed seven of its first eight shots, the Pirates made their first five attempts against the Loggers.  The Pirates took a 10-5 lead, thanks to eight early points by Smith.  A Diego Jaques three-pointer extended the margin to 19-11.  However, Puget Sound was making its shots too and hit three straight three-pointers to go ahead 31-27.  Whitworth answered with six straight of its own, capped by Sullivan Menard's three-pointer, and the teams went to the locker rooms tied 33-33.  Smith finished with 12 points in the opening half for Whitworth, as the Bucs made 14-27 (52%) in the first period.  The Loggers connected on 14 of 29 (48%), but had a 20-13 edge in rebounding.

Smith kept rolling in the second half and he made back-to-back baskets for a 56-46 lead nine minutes in.  But as they did last night in a comeback win at Whitman, the Loggers fought back.  Mussie Teclemariam scored five straight points to get UPS within 65-64 and Grant Erickson's three-point play gave the visitors a 72-71 lead with only 1:43 left.  But of Smith's 30 points, none were bigger than his three-pointer while getting fouled on the Pirates' next possession.  He made the free throw for a 75-72 Whitworth lead.  UPS answered with two free throws at the other end, and after a Whitworth missed three-pointer with 20 seconds left, Erickson had a chance to give his team back the lead with two free throws.  He made one to tie the game with 6.8 seconds to play. 

Whitworth got a timeout with 3.1 seconds left and set up an inbounds to Smith. The ball got knocked loose and McDermott had just enough time to scoop it, turn and shoot.  The ball hit nothing but net as the clock hit zero.

Smith finished 12 of 16 from the floor and 4 of 4 at the line for his 30 points.  His two highest-scoring games as a Pirate have come against Puget Sound.  McDermott finished with 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds.  Whitworth ended the game 29 of 56 (52%) from the floor, 6 of 18 from beyond the arc.

Teclemariam led the Loggers with 25 points and seven rebounds, while Erickson scored 17.  UPS made 27 of 56 (48%) and had a 35-28 advantage in rebounds.

Whitworth hits the road for games at Pacific (Ore.) and Lewis & Clark next weekend.