SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University used balanced scoring, dominating defense and strong rebounding to roll past visiting Pacific University 91-48 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Playing perhaps their most complete game of the season, the Pirates improved to 8-5 overall and 3-1 in the NWC, while the Boxers dropped to 7-6, 2-2.

Whitworth never trailed, jumping out to an 8-0 lead in the first three minutes.  Jake Holtz scored inside for the Pirates' first double-digit lead (16-5) halfway through the first half.  Sullivan Menard's three-pointer stretched the margin to 22-5 two minutes later.  Pacific trimmed the deficit to 26-15 on Truman Young's basket, but Whitworth responded with a 15-1 run to go ahead 41-16 after two Ty Edwards free throws.  Jerry Twenge's three-pointer gave the Bucs a 44-18 lead at halftime.  The Pirates made 55% of their shots in the first half and held the Boxers to 30% from the field, including 1-10 from three-point range.

Whitworth started the second half slowly on offense, allowing Pacific to pull within 52-34 on Isaiah Africano's basket with just under 12 minutes to play.  The Pirates responded, outscoring the Boxers 17-4 over the next five minutes to go ahead 69-38 with 6:52 to go.  Even with freshmen playing the last five minutes, Whitworth continued to pull away, opening a lead as large as 48 points (90-42) in the final minute after a three-pointer by Lucas Meissner.

Holtz led four Pirates in double figures with 16 points, adding eight boards.  Sullivan Menard had his Whitworth career-high of 14 off the bench, while Michael Smith scored 11 and Rowan Anderson had 10.  Jerry Twenge grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Whitworth to a 43-23 domination in rebounding.  The Bucs finished the game 29-53 (54%) from the floor, including 11-23 (48%) from beyond the arc. 

Young led Pacific with 11 points and Dimitri Cohen added 10, but eight of those came in the final two minutes.  The Boxers went 21-57 (37%) from the field, and only 1-20 (5%) from three-point range. 

Whitworth held an opponent well below its scoring average for the third straight game.  Pacific came into the weekend averaging nearly 88 points per contest.

Whitworth will head to Walla Walla to battle first place Whitman (11-2, 4-0) on Tuesday night.