SPOKANE, Wash. – Despite a career-high 24 points by Addison Gallatin, visiting Willamette escaped with a 60-59 win over Whitworth in the Pirates' Northwest Conference opener on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
The Bearcats (4-7 overall, 1-1 NWC) built a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter before Gallatin drilled a three-pointer that pulled the Bucs (1-9, 0-1) within one point. But only six-tenths of a second remained in the game after that shot.
The teams traded leads seven times in a tightly contested first quarter. The Pirates took an 18-16 lead on Ashlyn Peterson's basket with 1:37 to go. Alexis Dokter answered with a three-pointer for Willamette. Gallatin scored ten of her points in the opening quarter.
Whitworth took its final lead of the first half when Gallatin hit a put-back basket to give the Bucs a 27-26 lead with 3:54 to go. The Bearcats closed on an 8-2 run to take a 35-29 advantage into the break. The Pirates were 12-30 (40%) from the field in the first half, but 0-7 from three-point range.
Whitworth got within 39-36 with just over three minutes to play in the third after a Peterson layup, but Peyton Gardner hit a basket right before the buzzer and Willamette led 44-38 after three quarters.
The Bearcats extended their lead to 57-48 after Riley Walden made a three-pointer off an offensive rebound. The Pirates got the next four points, including a fast break layin by Peterson, to get back within five. Peterson scored inside with four seconds left to cut the margin to 59-56. After one made free throw by Willamette, Gallatin hit her final three-pointer with 0.6 left. It was Whitworth's only three-pointer of the game.
Gallatin's previous career-high was 15 points at Lewis & Clark last season. Behind Gallatin, Peterson scored 22 and dished seven assists. Mikiah Dunham scored seven off the bench. Ava DePew led the Bucs with ten rebounds. The Pirates finished 25-56 (44.6%) from the floor, but only 1-16 (6.3%) from beyond the arc.
Walden led Willamette with 21 points. She was the only Bearcat in double figures.
Whitworth will host Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday.
