Tacoma, WA – The Missionaries got another high scoring game from forward Matt Mounier (So, Encino, CA) and used stifling defense in beating Puget Sound tonight 89 - 62 in Tacoma. The win gives the Missionaries their second road victory of the season, improving their NWC record to 6 – 4 and season mark to 12 – 7. For complete NWC standings click Standings.
The Loggers fall to 1 – 9 and 6 – 13. After UPS took all three contests last season, the Whits have returned the favor by sweeping the regular season series this year, including a 111 - 77 triumph back on December 7.
Mounier garnered 18 points, following up his 22-point performance last night at PLU, and the Missionaries harassed the Loggers into 26 turnovers while plucking away 15 steals in a game where Whitman assumed control mid-way through the first half and was never truly threatened, thereafter.
The Whits enjoyed a double-digit lead throughout the second half, and led by twenty for the first time at the 11:09 mark, 65 – 45, following two free-throws from Philip Chircu (Ryde, Australia). Every time the Loggers made a bucket, Whitman had an answer and led by twenty-one with 4:01 to play when Josh Duckworth (Jr, Los Angeles, CA) hit a jumper. From there, the Missionaries outscored the Loggers 10-to-3 and finished with the 27-point margin.
Whitman led at half 43 – 28 after coming back from an early seven-point deficit. The Loggers led 15 – 8 with just over seven minutes burned off the clock before the Missionaries went on a 26 – 7 run over the next 6:13, capped off by trey from Ignas Pavilonis (Sr, Silute, Lithuania) that gave the Whits a 12-point margin.
The Missionaries lead would never drop below 10 points the rest of the game.
Four Missionaries scored in double-figures. In addition to Mounier, point-guard Duckworth added 13, and forward Ben Eisenhardt (Jr, Bainbridge Island, WA) and wing Chircu each had 12 (a career-high for Chircu). Keenan Durham (So, Seattle, WA) came off the bench to score a season-best 8.
UPS was led in scoring by AJ Maw who scored 13. Starter Dan Cheledinas tallied 12.
The Missionaries won the rebound battle 41 – 21. Mounier had 6 for Whitman; Chircu and Pavilonis each had 5. The top rebounder for Puget Sound was Nick Holden with 7.
The Missionaries play their next four games at home, starting with a Friday matchup against Pacific, followed by a Saturday contest against Lewis & Clark. Both games start at 8 pm.
Contact:
Andrew Holt
Whitman Sports Information Director
509.527.5902