SEATTLE – Rowan Anderson scored 24 points and dished 10 assists to lead visiting Whitworth University to a 95-83 win over Seattle Pacific University in a non-conference men's basketball game on Wednesday night at Brougham Pavilion.

In a match-up of defending conference champions, it was the Pirates (1-3) of the NCAA Div. III Northwest Conference that knocked off the Falcons (0-1) of the NCAA Div. II Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Anderson's totals were both career highs, surpassing the 11 points and nine assists he had in Whitworth's season opener against the College of Idaho, and he hit the biggest basket of the game.  After SPU trimmed an 18 point second half deficit to only 83-79 on a three-pointer with 3:12 to play, Anderson answered with his fifth three-pointer of the game to stretch the margin back to seven. 

Whitworth had six players reach double figures.  Garrett Paxton had 16, while Liam Fitzgerald and Miguel Lopez scored 15 points apiece.  Tanner Fogle came off the bench for ten points.

The Pirates played their most efficient offensive game of the season, making 60% (33-55) from the field and 54% (13-24) from three-point range.  The Pirates went 16-22 (72.7%) from the free throw line.

Whitworth also outrebounded the taller Falcons 28-26, led by Fitzgerald's six boards. 

SPU, which returns four starters from a squad that went 18-2 in the GNAC last season, got 30 points from first team All-GNAC guard Divant'e Moffitt.  Harry Cavell added 19 points and six rebounds.

Leading 34-33 with four minutes to play in the first half, the Pirates closed the half on a 14-5 run to take a 48-38 lead into halftime.  Whitworth stretched the margin to 64-46 on Fitzgerald's dunk six minutes into the second half.  The Falcons used a full-court press to chip away at the lead, getting to within four on Sharif Kahn's three-pointer with three minutes to go before Anderson answered with his final trey.

The teams will play each other again on Thursday at 6:00 pm in Seattle.