| Ben Eisenhardt scored 21
points to help lead Whitman to victory. Whitman athletics file photo |
The Missionaries upended the No. 3 ranked Whitworth Pirates tonight in overtime, 93–90, coming from behind in the second half for the second consecutive game. The win ends the Pirates' 20-game winning streak and avenges a double-overtime loss that Whitman suffered at the hands of Whitworth earlier in the season at Spokane.
The Missionaries now move into second place, moving past idle George Fox (8–4) wich Whitman hosts this Friday. Whitman is 9–4 in the NWC and 15–7 overall. The Pirates stand at 12–1 and 20–2.
The Pirates led most of the game, owning nine-point advantages twice in the second half, but the Missionaries never lost contact and closed to within two when sophomore forward Matt Mounier hit a deep three to make the score 70-68 with just a few minutes to play in regulation.
With over a minute left on the clock, Whitworth's Taylor Farnsworth picked up his fifth foul, plus a technical, with the Pirates leading 74-70. Mounier, who had a career-high 28 points, sank the two technicals and Drew Raher sank two foul shots, tying the game at 74.
Whitworth's Colton McCargar followed up his own miss to give the Bucs a two-point edge, but Mounier responded with a driving layup with 4.7 seconds on the clock. Whitworth got off a desperation shot at the buzzer but it went wayward and overtime ensued.
In the extra period, the energized Whits got a trey from Raher and a deep three from Mounier to take an 81–79 lead. The cushion grew to 88–81 when Ben Eisenhardt converted a layup with 1:04 remaining. Whitworth tried to rally but Whitman hit five of six from the line – Raher sinking the last two with 14.8 left to give the Whits a 93–87 lead.
"Our guys kept fighting and we found a way at the end," said coach Eric Bridgeland.
Whitworth got a game-high 30 points from senior guard Wade Gebbers who was deadly from beyond the arc, nailing 8 of 12, and 16 from McCargar and 14 from Farnsworth.
Raher had a career-high 23, hitting three treys. "He's really been working hard on his shot in the gym the last three weeks, and it shows," Bridgeland added. "When he has an open look, the shot goes down."
The Pirates will have to wait another game to clinch the outright NWC title; they gained a share of it with their win last Saturday against Pacific. The Missionaries could grab a firm hold of second and a potential home playoff game with a victory over the Bruins this Friday night. Tip at the Sherwood Center is at 8 pm. Whitworth hosts George Fox on Saturday.
Contact:
Andrew Holt
Whitman Sports Information Director
holtac@whitman.edu
509.527.5902