WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Fifth-ranked Whitman College moved within one game of an undefeated Northwest Conference women's basketball record with a 77-51 win over visiting Whitworth University on Tuesday night at the Sherwood Center.
The Blues improved to 23-1 overall and 15-0 in the NWC by sweeping the annual "Battle of Whits" encounters with the Pirates (8-16, 5-10). Whitman has clinched the NWC's regular season title and will host the conference tournament on Feb. 28/March 1.
As they have all season, the Blues jumped out to a big lead after one quarter. Lindsay Drango and Carly Martin scored consecutive baskets to put Whitman ahead 16-4 seven minutes into the game. The Pirate offense finally found momentum and Ashlyn Peterson's basket just before the buzzer got the Bucs within 23-13. The Blues made 10-17 first quarter shots (58.8%), while Whitworth made only 5-18 (27.8%).
The Pirates played more evenly with Whitman in the second quarter. After Korin Baker's basket extended the Blues' lead to 40-23 with just under two minutes to play in the half, Whitworth scored the final five points, capped by Mya Bair's basket at the buzzer, to get within 40-28. The Bucs were 4-15 (26.7%) in the period, while Whitman was 5-15 (33.3%).
Whitworth stayed with the Blues in the third quarter, getting their best offensive output of the night with 19 points. After Martin's basket put Whitman up 57-39, Addyson Gallatin hit consecutive baskets to pull the Bucs within 57-45. Whitman led 61-47 at the end of three on Avery Neals jumper. Whitworth went 6 of 13 (46.2%) in the period, including 2-3 from beyond the arc.
The Blues defense shut down any hopes of a Pirate upset by holding Whitworth to only four points in the fourth quarter. The Pirates went scoreless over the final 7:18 of the game as Whitman closed the contest on a 12-0 run. Whitworth made only 2 of 15 shots in the final period.
Ashlyn Peterson and Alex Goetz led the Pirates with 13 points apiece, but were a combined 6-32 from the floor. Peterson also led the Bucs with six rebounds. Whitworth finished the game 17-61 (27.9%) from the field, 2-15 (13.3%) from three-point range.
Martin and Baker, the top two scorers in the NWC this season, led Whitman with 21 points apiece. Drango added 16 and Baker led the way with 11 rebounds. The Blues finished 32-67 (47.8%) from the field and had a 37-26 edge in rebounds. Baker became Whitman's all-time leading scorer in the game and now has 1,702 points in her career.
Whitworth will look to finish off the 2024-25 season on a high note when the Pirates play at Linfield on Saturday night at 6:00 pm.
