NEWBERG, Ore. – George Fox outscored Whitworth 29-10 in the fourth quarter to come back for an 86-76 win over the visiting Pirates in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday night.
Whitworth (9-5 overall, 2-3 NWC) outscored the 16th-ranked Bruins 30-17 in the first quarter and led by as many as 19 points in the second period. The Bucs led the game for more than 33 minutes before George Fox (11-3, 3-2) rallied from nine points behind at the start of the fourth quarter.
Talia Brandner scored a career-high 21 points and Sydney Abbot reached her career-best with 20 points for Whitworth.
Jordan Smith made her first three three-pointers of the game and Brandner also drained a trey to help the Pirates jump ahead 21-9 in the game's first five minutes. Quincy McDeid's three-pointer right before the first period buzzer added to the lead and gave the Pirates' their highest score after the first quarter all season.
Smith's fourth three-pointer of the game helped Whitworth jump ahead 46-27 with 3:10 left in the second period. GFU was able to cut the margin to 48-35 at the break on Kaylee Bishop's four-point play.
The Bruins scored the first nine points of the second half to cut the margin to 48-44 on a Haley Strowbridge jumper just over three minutes into the third quarter. Brandner answered with a three-pointer for the Pirates and Whitworth was able to extend the lead back to 59-47 on Smith's layup four minutes later. Brandner's three-pointer put the Pirates back up by 14 points (62-48) before the Bruins cut the margin to 66-57 at the end of the third.
The Bruins started the fourth on a 16-4 run to take their first lead since the opening minutes of the game. Posey's three point play lifted the Bruins to a 76-70 lead before Abbot's basket cut the margin to 79-76 with one minute left. That's as close as the Pirates would get as George Fox went 5-6 at the free throw line and took advantage of a Whitworth turnover down the stretch.
Smith finished with 18 points and McDeid scored 11 for the Pirates. Abbot led Whitworth in rebounds (7) and assists.
All five GFU starters hit double figures in scoring, led by Emily Spencer's 20 points. Emily Holder added 18 and Strowbridge finished with 15.
Whitworth will look to bounce back on Saturday, but the Pirates will have to do so against first place Pacific. The Boxers are now 11-3, 5-0 after knocking off nationally-ranked Whitman 65-64 on Friday night.