SPOKANE, Wash. – Cameron Schilling poured in 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds but 20th-ranked Whitworth defeated Pacific Lutheran, 63-56, in the Northwest Conference men's basketball opener for both teams on Friday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates improved to 4-1 overall, while the Lutes slipped to 2-6.

Whitworth held PLU scoreless for a nine-minute stretch of the second half, turning a 41-36 deficit into a 50-41 lead on the way to the victory.

There were seven lead changes and the score was tied five times over the first 20 minutes of the game, but PLU took control at the end of the half with a 9-0 run over the final four minutes. After Colton McCargar gave Whitworth a 24-20 lead with a three-pointer, Cole Parker scored two straight baskets to tie the game and Andrew Alness drained a three-pointer from the corner to give PLU the lead. Schilling hit the final basket of the half for the Lutes' 29-24 edge at the break.

Pacific Lutheran took its largest lead of the game right out of the locker rooms when Bryce Miller canned a pair of free throws to give the Lutes a 31-24 advantage. Mack Larkin's three-point play got the Pirates within 39-36, but Alness answered with a mid-range jumper on the next PLU possession to put the Lutes back up 41-36 with 14:19 to play. Those would be PLU's final points for the next nine minutes.

Neither team scored for the next three minutes until Zach Payne broke the ice for the Pirates with a lay in. George Valle's steal and breakaway basket tied the game 41-41 and his three-pointer gave Whitworth a 48-41 lead. Valle finished off Whitworth's 14-0 run with a pull-up basket with 5:29 to play to give Whitworth a 50-41 lead. Cameron Reister finally broke the Lutes' scoreless slump with a three-pointer with 4:55 to go in the game.

Whitworth led 57-48 with just over a minute to play. Schilling and Drew Earnest hit three-point shots down the stretch, but Whitworth held on by making all six of its free throw attempts the final 45 seconds.

Valle led the Pirates with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Larkin finished with 12 points. Schilling was the only Lute to reach double figures in scoring. Alness had eight points off of the bench.

Pacific Lutheran continues Northwest Conference play at 6 p.m. Saturday when it plays Whitman in Walla Walla.

(Courtesy of Whitworth Sports Information Office)