SPOKANE, Wash. -- Michael Taylor scored 30 points to lead second-ranked Whitworth to a come-from-behind 74-63 win over visiting Pacific Lutheran in the semifinals of the Northwest Conference men's basketball tournament on Thursday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
Taylor saved the Pirates (25-1) from a major upset at the hands of the Lutes (15-10) by making 9-18 from the floor (including two three-pointers) and 10-10 from the free throw line.
PLU, making its first NWC tournament appearance since 1998, looked determined to repeat history. The last time the Lutes were in the conference tournament, they had knocked off top-seeded Whitworth in the semifinals in the Fieldhouse.
Andrew Earnest hit two three pointers to give PLU an early 12-5 lead, forcing a Whitworth timeout. The Pirates fought back to within one on several occasions, but could not catch the Lutes until Wade Gebbers hit a three to put Whitworth up 27-26 late in the half. But PLU scored the final five points, including a fall-away three-pointer from the corner by Earnest as the horn sounded, to take a 32-28 lead into halftime.
The 28 points allowed by PLU was the lowest-scoring first half of the season for Whitworth and just barely more than half of the total points (52) the Lutes allowed to the Pirates in the teams' first meeting in January. Taylor had 16 of his points at the break and without his effort Whitworth might have been down by double-digits.
Whitworth scored two quick baskets to tie the game early in the second half. But PLU did not fold. There were six ties and six lead changes over the next 12 minutes of play. The Lutes took their final lead (54-53) after Earnest answered a Jack Loofburrow three-pointer with a trey of his own.
The key moment of the game came with Whitworth leading 55-54 and PLU in possession. The Lutes had three good looks at a go-ahead basket after grabbing a pair of offensive rebounds and kept the ball for nearly 90 seconds. But after Loofburrow finally grabbed a defensive board, David Riley scored on the Bucs' next possession.
Leading 62-56 with less than three minutes to play, Whitworth scored its final 12 points from the free throw line, going 12-12 at the stripe, to keep PLU at bay.
Taylor reached 30 points in a game for the fourth time this season. Felix Friedt scored all 11 of his points after halftime and Riley had nine of his 11 after the break for the Pirates. Whitworth shot 61% from the field in the second half after a 36% first period. The Pirates outrebounded the Lutes 29-26, led by Clay Gebbers' nine boards. Wade Gebbers dished six assists.
Earnest finished with 14 points to lead PLU. James Conti added 12 points and six assists, while Kyle MacTaggart scored a dozen as well. Victor Bull grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Lutes on the boards. Pacific Lutheran shot 48% from the field in the game and 44% from beyond the three-point line.
Whitworth, winners of seven straight NWC tournament games, will try to win its fifth straight NWC tournament title when the Pirates host Whitman on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. The Missionaries, who handed the Bucs their only defeat of the season on Feb. 15, defeated Lewis & Clark 79-76 in tonight's other NWC semifinal in Walla Walla.