SPOKANE, Wash. -- While not every Whitworth basketball fan may be familiar with the fiction of Terry McMillan, they are aware that the Pirates need to figure out how to get their groove back. Whitworth heads into the final four games of the season looking to break out of the team's first three game losing streak since the 2004-05 season. But the good news is that the Bucs still control their own destiny toward claiming the Northwest Conference's top seed in the conference tournament.
The Pirates will take on Pacific Lutheran on Friday night and league-leading Puget Sound on Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tip-off at 8:00 p.m. following the women's half of the doubleheader. Ross Nakamura (Jr., G, Moraga, Calif. - Diablo Valley JC) continues to lead all of NCAA Division III in Assist-to-Turnover ratio. Nakamura has 102 assists and only 21 turnovers for a ratio of 4.86 to 1. Radio/Internet: All the Pirates' NWC games will be carried live by KSBN 1230 am and Bob Castle will call the play by play. In addition to the on-air broadcast, the KSBN internet simulcast can be picked up either on the Whitworth Athletics site, or at KSBN.net by selecting the "listen now" button. Also, Whitworth now offers "Live Stats" for all home games. The live stats link is: http://www.whitworth.edu/Athletics/Teams/Basketball/livestats/xlive.htm. The Pirates: Whitworth suffered through an 0-2 trip to Oregon that has extended the team's losing streak to three games. The last time the Pirates suffered three losses in a row was between February 4 and February 11 during the rebuilding season of 2004-05 in which the team finished 13-11 after ending the year on a five-game winning streak. Whitworth's 75-65 loss at Lewis & Clark on Friday night was decided over the final two minutes of the first half and the first 1:20 of the second period when the Pioneers outscored the Pirates 17-0. After working hard to pull into a 29-29 first half tie with two minutes left after a three point play by Ryan Symes (Sr., F, Palo Alto, Calif.), Whitworth watched L&C nail three three-point shots, including a long bank shot at the buzzer. The Pioneers then went on an 8-0 run to open the second half, opening up a 46-29 lead. Whitworth closed within 64-58 with 1:37 to play after a three-pointer by Tim Sellereit (Jr., G, Bellingham, Wash.), but L&C made 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch to secure the win. Sellereit came off of the bench for a career high 27 points, while Colin Willemsen (Sr., F, Moraga, Calif.) finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
The following night played out in stunningly similar fashion. Within 25-24 with five minutes left in the first half after a basket by Colin Willemsen, Whitworth watched Pacific go on a 10-0 run over the next three minutes. After closing within 41-33 at the break, the Pirates fell behind by as many as 15 points (59-44) in the second half before rallying to pull within 79-76 on a pair of free throws by Ryan Symes with 1:56 to go. But Whitworth could not score again and Pacific outscored the Pirates 6-0 in the final minute of the game. Symes finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Sellereit had another good game off of the bench with 16 points and Willemsen totaled 13 points. Pacific ended an eight-game losing streak to the Pirates that dated to the 2004-05 season. DEFENSE: Despite four new starters this season, the way the Pirates are winning should look very familiar to Whitworth fans. The Bucs have taken their usually tough defense up a notch this year, leading the NWC in both scoring defense (62.1 points per game allowed) and field goal percentage defense (42.3%). In addition, Whitworth leads the rebounding margin category (+6.2). Offense, Too: Also familiar is how efficient the Bucs have been on offense. Whitworth is second in the NWC in assists per game (15.4) and leads in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44 assists for every turnover, 4th in the nation). The Pirates commit the fewest turnovers in the league (10.7 per game, 5th in the NCAA) as well. And when the team gets to the free throw line, the Pirates make a league-best 77.6% (7th in the NCAA). Steady Symes: Ryan Symes is providing the solid leadership that was expected of the team's only returning starter and a returning First Team All-NWC selection. The 6-5 forward is leading the team in scoring with an average of 18.1 points (5th in the NWC) and he adds 6.3 rebounds per game (7th in the NWC). He has added a three-point shot to his game this season, making 35% from beyond the arc. He has led the Bucs in scoring 12 times this season and became the first Whitworth player during the 2007-08 year to win the NWC Player of the Week award on January 21st. Frosh Phenom: David Riley is having a breakthrough freshman season. The 6-5 guard is third on the team in scoring (11.9 points per game). He has been deadly from three point range, and is the only player in the Northwest Conference to rank in the top five of the league stat leaders in both three-pointers made (5th, 2.6 per game) and three point percentage (3rd, 45.6%). In Whitworth's second game of the season, he broke the school record for three-pointers made in a game when he was 8 for 13 in the win over Caltech. The previous record of seven in a game was shared by three players. Riley has led the Pirates in scoring four times this season.
"Will"-do-it-all: One of the best sixth-men in the NWC last season, Colin Willemsen has been the do-everything player as a starter for the Pirates this year. Willemsen leads the team and is second in the NWC in rebounding (7.9 per game) and is second in the league lead in offensive rebounds (2.7 per game). Willemsen is also seventh in the NWC (second on the team) in assists (3.33 per game). Finally, Willemsen leads Whitworth and is ninth in the NWC in steals (1.3 per game). All of this goes along with a strong 13.1 scoring average (second on the team). His eight double-doubles this season lead the NWC. Ross Runs the Ship: Even before his breakthrough performance (26 points) in a win at Willamette on January 5th, Ross Nakamura had been a steadying influence as the Pirate point guard this season. A transfer from Diablo Valley JC in Concord, California, Nakamura is fourth in the NWC in assists (5.1 per game). Perhaps more telling about Nakamura's play this season, he leads the NWC and all of NCAA Division III in assist-turnover ratio (4.86 assists per turnover). His steadiness with the ball is nearly matched by his shooting ability, as he ranks 5th in the Northwest Conference in three-point percentage (42.7%) this season. Nearly Last: There is one category in which the Pirates nearly rank last in NCAA Div. III. Whitworth was the second-to-last NCAA Division III team to play a scheduled home game this season when the Bucs hosted Lewis & Clark in the Fieldhouse on January 11th. Only Lawrence College (Wis.) played its first home game later (by one day, opening on January 12th). However, the Vikings only played seven games to that point, while Whitworth played 10 games before getting to play at home. Neither Whitworth or Lawrence can complain much, however, when compared to UC Santa Cruz. Because of refurbishing of their gym, the Banana Slugs will not play a home game this season.
The NWC Tournament: Winning the Northwest Conference basketball title is fairly simple. The team or teams that finish atop the final standings are considered conference champions. However, the NWC, like most NCAA Division III leagues, awards its automatic NCAA playoff bid to the champion of its post-season tournament. The conference has constructed a tournament that strongly favors the regular season champion. On Thursday the 28th of February, the third-place team, or seed (in case of tie), will travel to play at the second-place team or seed. The winner of that game will play for the tournament title at the home court of the regular season champion, or top seed, on Saturday March 1st for the automatic bid to the NCAA Div. III tournament. The Opponents: Pacific Lutheran visits Whitworth on its own short losing streak. The Lutes (10-10 overall, 6-6 NWC) fell at home to Puget Sound last Tuesday 98-97 in overtime on a shot at the buzzer. It was the second overtime loss of the season the Lutes suffered against the Loggers. Then PLU lost 80-71 at Willamette on Saturday. Junior wing Josh Dressler is second in the NWC in scoring average (21.5 ppg) and leads the league in three-pointers made per game (3.25). Senior post Scott McDaniels is the NWC's top rebounder (8.2 per contest) and adds 18.4 points per game. On January 18th Whitworth won 66-62 at Pacific Lutheran behind Colin Willemsen's 18 points. Puget Sound (16-4, 9-3) has a chance to separate from the rest of the field this weekend if it can win twice. The Loggers also had a chance to do so last week. After the dramatic win at PLU on Tuesday, UPS was beaten 93-82 at Linfield on Friday after leading by 12 points midway through the second half. Junior Forward Jason Foster and junior guard Antwan Williams power the high-octane Logger game. Foster is third in the NWC in scoring average at 19.2 points per game. Williams adds 17.2 points and is second in the NWC in assists per game (5.65). Ryan Symes had a game-high 24 points in the Pirates' 83-78 win at UPS in Tacoma on January 19th. The Coach: Whitworth head coach Jim Hayford became the fastest coach in Pirate history to record his 100th victory as head coach of the Bucs with a win over Whittier on November 25th of last season. Now 134-45 (.749) in his seventh season at Whitworth (171-70 overall in eight years as a head coach), Hayford is only the third coach in school history to reach the 100 win plateau. Hayford has won two NWC Coach of the Year awards at Whitworth (2003, 2007) and led the Pirates to a pair of conference championships. Go to Athletics Home Page > Men's Basketball > Sports Releases > |
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