SPOKANE, Wash. -- Northwest Conference Player of the Year Michael Taylor scored 24 points to lead second-ranked Whitworth to a 74-50 win over visiting Whitman in the championship game of the 2011 NWC men's basketball tournament on Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
The Pirates improved to 26-1 and picked up the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. The Missionaries, in the midst of their best season in more than two decades, fall to 19-8 and must hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Whitman fought Whitworth to a draw in the first behalf before a boisterous crowd of 1,928. After the Pirates grabbed an 18-13 lead on a three-pointer by Jack Loofburrow, the Missionaries answered with a 12-2 run to take their largest lead of the game (25-20). Justin Artis drained a three-pointer and Brandon Shaw scored twice to spark the run. But Taylor answered that run personally with five straight points of his own to tie the game. The teams went to the locker rooms tied 26-26.
The first half reflected the defensive mind-set of both teams. Whitman shot only 30% (10-33), while Whitworth struggled to 29% (9-31). It was the second game in a row that the Pirates were held to a season-low first half point total. Whitman outscored Whitworth 12-0 in the paint in the first period.
Then Felix Friedt, Whitworth's Second Team All-NWC post, showed up. The junior scored all 16 of his points in the second half and added a game-high 11 rebounds.
With the game tied 33-33, Whitworth went on a 9-0 run and the game was never tied again. Whitman got within 42-37 on a lay up by First Team All-NWC guard Brandon Shaw, but then the Pirates pulled out to a 51-39 advantage after five straight points by David Riley, who scored all 10 of his points after halftime. David Michaels answered with a three-pointer for the Missionaries to draw within nine, but the Bucs then scored eight in a row to open a 59-42 lead with 7:42 to play and Whitworth steadily stretched the advantage to the end of the game.
The Pirates found their offense in the second half, shooting 61% (17-28) after the break and making 11-12 from the free throw line. Perhaps most telling, Whitworth outscored Whitman 24-6 in the paint in the second half.
Taylor was 9-17 from the floor (2-3 from three-point range) and 4-4 at the line for his 24 points. Friedt made 6-8 from the field and all four of his free throws. Wade Gebbers added 15 points, making 3-6 from beyond the arc, and dished five assists.
Shaw led Whitman with 11 points, but only scored four points after halftime. Artis also had 11 and Josh Duckworth came off of the bench for 10 points. Michaels led Whitman with 10 rebounds and Drew Raher had three assists.
The NCAA Division III tournament field will be announced at 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning. The Pirates are making their fifth straight national tournament appearance and sixth overall in the NCAA.