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TACOMA, Wash. -- (From PLU SID Office) Whitworth College shot less than 15% from three point range and Drew Cardwell scored 24 points to lead Pacific Lutheran to an 81-72 Northwest Conference victory over the visiting Pirates tonight at Olson Auditorium.

The conference victory was the second in three games for the Lutes, who now stand at 2-4 in the NWC and 3-12 overall. Whitworth slipped to 9-6 overall, 3-3 in the conference after suffering a second straight loss in Tacoma.

The Lutes scored seven straight points late in the first half to turn a 28-27 deficit into a 34-28 lead. PLU stayed in front the rest of the half and took a 45-36 advantage into intermission.

Whitworth cut the margin to one point, 53-52, with 13:20 left in the game. But the Lutes answered by scoring six of the next seven points for a 59-53 lead. Lance Pecht's three-pointer brought the Pirates to within three, but again the Lutes responded, this time with an 8-2 run for a 69-60 advantage with 2:34 left.

One minute later the PLU lead stood at 12, 74-62, and the closest Whitworth got after that was six points.

Whitworth made on three of 21 three point attempts in the game. The Pirates were 1 of 11 in the second half.

Josh Vanlandingham scored 17 points and Scott Lowery added 13 for the Lutes. Cardwell also led the Lutes in rebounds, with eight, while Landon Heidenreich dished out nine assists.

George Tucker scored 24 points, Kevin Hasenfus had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Pecht 11 points for Whitworth.

Next Up: Whitworth will try to rebound from its second two game losing streak of 2006 when the Pirates host Whitman College on Tuesday night in the Fieldhouse as part of a Northwest Conference doubleheader. The Missionaries are 7-7 overall and tied with Whitworth and George Fox in the NWC standings with a 3-3 mark. Senior guard Matt Kelly is one of the NWC's top scorers, averaging 19.4 points per game. Erik Kofler averages 13 points and eight rebounds per contest. Last season Whitworth defeated Whitman 86-60 in Spokane and 76-59 in Walla Walla. The Pirates have won the last 12 meetings in the series.