McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Dempsey Roggenbuck scored 26 points to lead Linfield College to a 91-80 win over visiting Whitworth University and a share of the Northwest Conference men's basketball regular season title on Saturday night in Ted Wilson Gym.
However the Pirates (20-5 overall, 14-2 NWC) hold the tiebreaker and have the league's top seed in next week's conference tournament. Linfield (19-6, 14-2) will host a semifinal as the number two seed.
After jumping ahead 13-5 after back-to-back three-pointers by Ben College and an Isaiah Hernandez layup, Whitworth led for over 14 minutes of the first half. However, Linfield used a 12-2 run at the end of the period to take a 48-41 lead into halftime. Both teams shot the ball well in the first half. The Pirates made 59% (16-27) from the floor, including 6-13 (46%) from three-point range. The Wildcats were even hotter, led by Roggenbuck. Linfield went 19-29 (66%) from the floor and 7-12 (58%) from beyond the arc. Roggenbuck made all seven of his first half shots, including three three-pointers, for 19 points in the period.
Whitworth was able to close the gap early in the second half, getting within 52-49 on Reed Brown's layup three minutes in. The Bucs were still within 61-57 on Brown's jumper at the 14 minute mark before Linfield used a 7-0 run to take its first double-digit lead on Austin Hilton's layup. Whitworth kept the deficit around the ten-point margin until the Wildcats made their final surge with six minutes left, stretching a 75-66 advantage to 83-66 with an 8-0 spurt capped by Roggenbuck's final three of the game. The Pirates fought back to within 85-76 on a Kea Vargas three-pointer with 1:48 to go, but could get no closer.
College and Lees led Whitworth with 15 points apiece, but College was held to two points after halftime. College also led the Bucs with five rebounds and four assists. Hernandez scored 14 points and Garrett Hull finished with ten.
Roggenbuck finished 9-15 from the floor, 4-6 from beyond the arc. Hilton had a big night after two early fouls, totaling 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Max Lommen added 20 points, while Tanner Autencio finished with 15 points and four assists.
Linfield ended a 25-game losing streak to Whitworth that dated back to Jan. 10, 2009.
The Pirates will host #4 seed Pacific Lutheran in one NWC semifinal on Thursday night while the Wildcats host #3 Whitman in the other.