NEWBERG, Ore. – Trailing by seven points with less than eight minutes to play in the game, 21st-ranked Whitworth rallied to beat George Fox 92-90 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Friday night at the Miller Gymnasium.
The Pirates (11-3 overall, 5-0 NWC) earned their first road victory of the season and remain tied atop the NWC standings.
Whitworth led most of the first half, jumping out 9-4 on a three-point play by JT McDermott. GFU (6-8, 2-3) rallied to tie the game 12-12 on a basket by JD Ahlstrom. The Pirates went on a 13-3 run to open up a 25-15 lead and then went ahead 29-17 on Liam Fitzgerald's second dunk of the half. George Fox chipped away and took its first lead at 34-33 on Levi Dalzell's bucket with just under four minutes to play before the Bucs answered with a 7-0 run, including a Fitzgerald three-pointer. Ahlstrom hit a three just before the buzzer to get the Bruins within 42-40 at the break. Fitzgerald led the Pirates with 12 points in the first period.
Whitworth stretched the lead to 49-42 on a Ben College three-pointer early in the second half. George Fox fought back to retake the lead 56-54 on a basket by Quinn Lacey. When Zach Sly converted a pair of free throws with 7:42 to play, the Bruins had taken a 72-65 lead and looked for their first win over the Bucs in the last 12 games.
Trailing 75-70, Whitworth outscored GFU 10-2 over the next three minutes to go up 80-77 on a basket by Isaiah Hernandez. Garrett Hull's basket with 1:25 to play increased the lead to 86-81. Whitworth was able to hold onto the lead when Hernandez went 4-4 from the free throw line in the final minute. The Pirates survived a last-second three-pointer by Ryan Lacey.
College scored 16 of his game-high 23 points in the second half for Whitworth. Hernandez came off the bench for 17 points and seven rebounds in his first game back in three weeks after a concussion. Fitzgerald finished with 14 points. Garrett Hull tallied with a double-double of 11 points and ten rebounds and led the team with five assists.
After shooting only 39% in the first half, the Pirates made 52% in the second period. Whitworth also used 18 offensive rebounds to hold a 48-31 advantage on the boards.
Lacey scored 19 points and Ahlstrom scored 18 to lead GFU.
Whitworth will conclude its first NWC road trip of the season with a game at Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday night.