SPOKANE, Wash. – Visiting Pacific held Whitworth to 13 first half points on the way to a 53-43 win over the Pirates in a Northwest Conference women's game on Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
The Boxers (11-2 overall, 4-0 NWC) held on to a share of first place in the NWC standings. The Pirates (4-9, 1-3) dropped their second straight conference contest at home.
The Pirates struggled offensively from the outset, scoring only two points over the game's first five minutes, allowing the visitors to open a 9-2 lead. Whitworth got back within 9-7 on a pair of free throws, but Shaade Williams answered with a three-point play for Pacific.
After making only 2-16 shots in the opening period against the Boxers' tough defense, Whitworth hit only 3 of 9 in the second quarter. Pacific scored the first nine points of the second to open up a 21-7 lead on Sydney Grey's three-pointer. The Pirates got back to 21-13 on Kimberly Dewey's basket, but Pacific scored the final five points of the half to take a 26-13 lead to the locker rooms. Whitworth finished the first half 5 of 25 from the floor, including 1-8 from three-point range.
After Pacific scored the opening basket of the second half to take its largest lead of the game (28-13), the Pirate offensive finally started to flow. Whitworth scored ten straight points, including back to back buckets by Olivia Mayer, to pull within 28-23. The Bucs more than doubled their point total from the first half with 15 points in the third, heading to the final period down 36-28.
After the Boxers re-established a double-digit lead for much of the fourth quarter, Whitworth went on one final run, getting within 47-41 on Mayer's basket with 1:49 left. Brilie Kovaloff answered with a three-pointer for Pacific, ending the threat.
Mayer led the Pirates with her 11th double-double of the season, totaling 20 points and 12 rebounds. Quincy McDeid scored 11, the only other Whitworth player in double figures. The Pirates improved their shooting to 11-23 (48%) in the second half, but turned the ball over 21 times in the game, leading to 25 Pacific points off turnovers.
Kovaloff scored a game-high 23 points for Pacific.
Whitworth will head to Walla Walla to play Whitman on Tuesday night.
