BURLINGAME, Calif. -- Host Whitworth College (Wash.) won a hard fought contest against California Lutheran University 74-69 to earn the championship of the Whitworth - St. Vincent de Paul Invitational. Lewis & Clark College (Ore.) rolled past UC Santa Cruz 93-52 to claim third place in the tournament.

All four participating teams are NCAA Division III members.

Whitworth 74, Cal Lutheran 69
Trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half, Whitworth came back to defeat Cal Lutheran to go 2-0 in the invitational and improve to 5-2 overall. Four Pirates scored in double figures to overcome a 28 point effort by CLU's Phil Lehmann.

The Kingsmen (3-5) held Whitworth to 41.4% shooting in the first half and took a 27-17 lead with just under five minutes to play in the half on a jumper by Rocky Pedden to cap a 6-0 run. CLU eventually took a 31-28 lead into the locker room after Whitworth closed the half with an 11-4 edge.

Whitworth took its first lead at 35-33 after a pair of free throws by Kevin Hasenfus four minutes into the second half. The teams were tied 41-41 after a long jumper by Lehman, but Whitworth then went on a 10-0 run to take its biggest lead 51-41 with 8:32 to play. Jon Young and George Tucker each had five of the points.

CLU got back to within four points twice within the final four minutes, but each time Whitworth's Lance Pecht answered by making a jump shot. Lehmann hit a long three to pull the Kingsmen within 72-69 with seven seconds left, but Bryan Williams made two free throws for the final points of the game with six ticks left.

Pecht finished with 19 points to lead the Pirates, while Hasenfus added 14 points and five boards. Williams and Young had 13 points apiece. Whitworth shot 65% in the second half to finish with a 52% average for the game.

Lehmann added six boards to go with his 28 points, which came of 12/16 shooting from the floor. Deshion Inniss added 11 points and Brandon Bush came off of the bench for 10 points. The Kingsmen made 14 of 23 shots in each half to shoot 61% for the game.

Complete box score and play by play

Lewis & Clark 93, UC Santa Cruz 52
David Berggren went 8-8 in the first half from three point range to spark L&C to a 59-25 halftime advantage and the Pioneers rolled to a 41 point win over the Banana Slugs.

Berggren scored 24 of his game high 28 points in the first half, all coming on his three point bombs. He made four in the first four minutes to give the Pioneers a quick 16-4 lead. Another Berggren three pointer gave L&C its first 20 point lead of the game at 28-8 with just under 12 minutes to play in the first half.

The Slugs pulled within 40-21 on a free throw by Charlie Peck with just over four minutes to go. But L&C finished the half on a 19-4 run, including Berggren's final three pointer of the half and two more by Ryan Clayman.

UCSC managed to get the lead back under 30 points once in the second half after a three pointer by Jon Mercado pulled the Banana Slugs to within 70-43 with 11:00 to go, but they were never able to threaten the Pioneers.

L&C improved to 4-6, while UCSC fell to 1-10.

Complete box score and play by play

Whitworth College, from Spokane, Washington, is hosting the St. Vincent de Paul Invitational as a benefit for the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in San Francisco. All proceeds of the tournament benefit the ministries of the Men's Club of St. Vincent de Paul.