PORTLAND, Ore. – Whitworth University used a 16-0 run in the final five minutes of the game to pull out a 73-66 win at Lewis & Clark College on Friday night in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game.

The visiting Pirates (16-4 overall, 10-1 NWC) trailed 61-55 with five minutes left before going on the game-winning run.  Ben College closed out that run with a three-point play that gave the Bucs a 71-61 lead over the Pioneers (8-12, 4-7) only 38 seconds left.

College, this week's NWC men's basketball student-athlete of the week, scored 31 points and grabbed five rebounds to lead the Pirates.

Lewis & Clark led most of the first half, running out to a 20-13 lead on Matt Brown's jump shot.  Whitworth answered with an 11-0 run to take its first lead of the game, thanks to Reed Brown's three-pointer and back-to-back College layups.  Garrett Paxton hit a three pointer and College added a trey of his own to extend the Pirates' lead to 34-28 before the Pioneers pulled within 37-35 at halftime.

L&C opened the second half with an 8-2 run to take a 43-39 lead on Brian Smith's layup.  The Bucs answered with a 7-0 run to retake a three-point advantage.  Trailing 51-49 with ten minutes to play, the Pioneers outscored the Pirates 10-4 over the next five minutes to take their 61-55 lead on Zeke Crawford's steal and breakaway basket, which forced a Whitworth timeout.  Sam Lees scored six of the first eight points in the Pirates' game-deciding run.  Liam Fitzgerald added a three-point play for a 68-61 lead and College capped it with his three-point play.

Lees finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, while adding four blocked shots.  The Pirates shot only 39% from the field and 35% from three-point range, but outrebounded Lewis & Clark 36-32 and forced 20 L&C turnovers.

Crawford led the Pioneers with 15 points, ten rebounds and three assists.  Brenden Patrick added 14 points.  L&C shot 46% from the floor.

Whitworth extended its winning streak over L&C to 14 straight games.  The Pirates will conclude their weekend road trip with a game at Willamette on Saturday.