SPOKANE, Wash. – Just three days after allowing 80 points in consecutive games in Oregon, the Whitworth University defense returned in full force, handing visiting Whitman an 80-46 setback on Tuesday night at the Fieldhouse.

The Pirates improved to 16-4 overall and 10-1 in the Northwest Conference after sweeping the season's Battle of Whits.  The Blues fell to 8-12, 3-8 and may have to win out over the final five games to have a chance to qualify for the upcoming NWC tournament.

Whitworth, the NWC leader in defensive field goal percentage and defensive three-point percentage, never let Whitman get comfortable offensively.  The Blues made only 14 of 54 (26%) from the field and 5 of 31 (16%) from beyond the arc.  The Pirates forced 19 turnovers, thanks in large part to 13 steals – three each by Ben Nyquist and Colton Looney.

Whitman took a 3-0 lead on an opening three-pointer by Ali Efe Isik.  Whitworth answered with a 10-0 run, including a pair of baskets by Stephen Behil, and never trailed again.  After the Blues got within 14-11, the Bucs used a 12-1 run to go up 26-12 on a three-pointer by Brian Caldera.  Carson Talbert's basket put Whitworth up 40-20 and the Bucs took a 47-25 lead to the locker rooms after Whitman's Marcel Elicagaray hit a half court shot at the buzzer.  Caden Bateman had a dozen points at the break for the Pirates, including a pair of breakaway dunks.

The Blues briefly trimmed the margin to 19 six minutes into the second half, but never got closer.  Talbert scored back-to-back baskets to put the Pirates back up by 26 (60-34) with 10:30 to play.  Talbert scored again for Whitworth's first 30-point lead (70-40) with just under five minutes to play.

Bateman led the Bucs with 16 points, while Talbert came off the bench for a career-high 15 points.  Behil finished with 14.  Whitworth finished with a 39-35 edge on the boards, with Bateman and Behil getting six apiece.  The Pirates outscored Whitman 46-18 in the paint, thanks to 21 assists on 32 made baskets.

Elicagaray led the Blues with 14 points and 7 boards, while Julian Witt added 12 off the bench.  The 46 points were a season-low scored for Whitman and allowed for the Pirates.

Whitworth will take on Linfield University on Friday.