FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Rilee Price and Courtney Carolan combined to score 43 points to lead first place Pacific University to an 82-68 Northwest Conference women's basketball win over visiting Whitworth University on Saturday night.
The Pirates fell to 9-6 overall and 2-4 in the NWC after dropping both games on the Oregon road trip. With its weekend sweep Pacific (12-3, 6-0) took over sole possession of first place in the league standings.
The Boxers never trailed, jumping out to a 24-13 lead after one quarter. Pacific made 63% of its shots in the first period and outrebounded the Pirates 11-4. Whitworth struggled to find open looks and then struggled to make those shots against the Boxers' defense. Courtney Gray scored five quick points, but had to sit the rest of the first half after picking up two fouls.
Quincy McDeid scored ten points in the second period for Whitworth. She drained a three-pointer to pull the Pirates back within 26-22 early in the quarter. Whitworth was still within 37-31 after a pair of Sydney Abbot free throws, but Pacific scored six straight points to close the quarter for a 43-31 lead. Price had 13 of her game-high 23 points at halftime.
The Boxers took control of the game by scoring the first eight points of the third quarter. Carolan's three-pointer extended Pacific's advantage to 51-31. Whitworth never trailed by less than double digits the rest of the way. The Boxers made 69% (11-16) from the field in the third quarter, including 4-5 from beyond the arc. Pacific led 70-50 heading to the final period.
Whitworth made one more run early in the fourth quarter, pulling to within 72-59 on a Macey Morales three-pointer. That's as close as the Pirates would get as Pacific answered with back-to-back baskets.
McDeid led Whitworth with 15 points, while Abbott, Gray and Jordan Smith all scored ten points apiece. Abbott also led the Bucs with six rebounds and four assists.
Price added nine assists and four steals to her 23 points. Carolan totaled 20 points and Brilie Kovaloff tallied 15 points for the Boxers.
Whitworth will return home to host nationally-ranked Whitman on Tuesday night.