PASADENA, Calif. -- Typical of a young team playing its season opener, Whitworth University suffered from cold shooting and poor rebounding in a 56-53 loss to Chapman University at the Caltech/Cal Lutheran Classic today at the Caltech Gymnasium.

Symes led the Bucs with 12 points, 7 boards

The Pirates (0-1), shot only 25% (6 of 24) in the first half from the floor and only 9% (1 of 11) from three point range for the entire game. In addition, the Panthers (2-1) outrebounded Whitworth 38-25 and had 18 offensive rebounds to the Pirates' 12 defensive rebounds.

Whitworth started out well defensively, holding Chapman to three points through the first 11:06 of the game and taking a 10-3 lead. But the poor shooting prevented the Pirates from having a bigger lead and by the time the Panthers found their offense they came back to take a 19-17 lead at the break.

Chapman kept the momentum going into the second half, opening up three different double digit leads, the final one coming at 44-33 with 7:35 to play. But Whitworth went on a 13-2 run over the next five minutes to tie the game 46-46 with 2:14 to play after a three point play by Colin Willemsen (Sr., F, Moraga, Calif.).

The Panthers did not make another basket, but went 10 of 12 from the free throw line over the final two minutes to pull out the game. Whitworth trailed 54-53 with less than 20 seconds to play and had to put Chapman on the line twice when the Bucs could not corral a missed free throw. The Panthers made only two of four attempts, but Whitworth could not get a good look at a tying three pointer in the final seconds and Ryan Symes' (Sr., F, Palo Alto, Calif.) desperation attempt was not good at the buzzer.

Symes finished with 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the Pirates in both categories. Willemsen added 11 points. Kyle Wood and and Dan Aguilar each scored 15 to lead Chapman.

Whitworth will conclude the Caltech/Cal Lutheran Classic on Saturday by taking on co-host Caltech at 2:00 p.m.