WHEATON, Ill. -- Tournament MVP Bryan Williams scored 24 points and added eight assists to lead Whitworth to a big early season victory over host Wheaton (Ill.) in the championship game of the Lee Pfund Classic.

Williams was the MVP of the Lee Pfund Classic

The Pirates went on a 10-0 run to begin the second half, opening a 43-33 lead over the Thunder. Williams and James Jones nailed three pointers in the surge. Whitworth never trailed again, but had to hold off several rallies by Wheaton.

After Wheaton got within 55-52 with 9:00 to play, Ryan Symes hit back to back baskets to put the Pirates back up by seven points. Then after the Thunder got within 59-57 with just over four minutes on a three pointer by preseason All-American Kent Raymond, Jon Young and Williams hit big three point shots to put the Bucs back up by eight.

After Symes made a pair of free throws to put Whitworth ahead 69-60 with 37 seconds left, the Thunder made a big run to get within three with 2.7 seconds left. The Pirates never completed the inbounds and Wheaton had a last chance to tie the game. However a final three point attempt was no good.

Williams made 7 of 11 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 from beyond the arc, to lead the Bucs' offense. He was 6 of 6 from the free throw line. Symes added 12 points and seven rebounds. Colin Willemsen scored 10 points off of the bench.

The Pirates made 53.3% of their shots from the field (24 of 45) and 44.4% from beyond the arc (8 of 18). Whitworth was 14 of 18 from the free throw line. Wheaton shot 47.4% from the floor (27-57) and 25% (7-28) from three point range. The Thunder had a slight 29-27 edge in rebounds.

Raymond led Wheaton with 22 points, but was 9 of 21 from the field (2 of 10 from three point range). Michael Fiddler added 13 points.

Whitworth will now travel from Chicago, Illinois to Maui, Hawaii where the Pirates will host the US Bank - Whitworth Maui Invitational. The Bucs will play Bethany Lutheran on Wednesday at 12:30 pm (HST) and Cal Lutheran on Thursday at 10:00 am (HST).