SPOKANE, Wash. – Disdaining any sense of style, Whitworth University muscled to a 70-58 win over visiting George Fox University in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Willemsen had a career-high 24 points

The Pirates (13-3 overall, 7-1 NWC) remained tied with Puget Sound (13-2, 7-1) for first place in the conference standings halfway through the NWC schedule. George Fox fell to 5-12, 1-7.

Colin Willemsen (Sr., F, Moraga, Calif.) posted his seventh double-double of the season to lead Whitworth with 24 points and 10 rebounds. His 24 points, on 8 of 10 shooting from the floor and 6 of 6 from the free throw line, is a career high. Ryan Symes (Sr., F, Palo Alto, Calif.) added 20 points, while Ross Nakamura (Jr., G, Moraga, Calif.) dished six assists without a turnover.

Whitworth never trailed, taking a quick 7-0 lead behind five points by Willemsen. The Pirates quickly stretched that advantage to 10 points (19-9) and led by as many as 16 points (29-13) after a jumper by Tim Sellereit (Jr., G, Bellingham, Wash.). George Fox closed to within 33-21 at halftime.

The Pirates again led by as many as 16 points early in the second half after a Symes' three-point play put the Bucs ahead 46-30 with 14:48 left in the game. But the Bruins rallied to within 50-45 after a three-pointer by Dan Lingenfelder and a jumper by Joe Ahn. Whitworth responded with consecutive three-pointers by Drew Bruns (Fr., G, El Toro, Calif.) and Calvin Jurich (Jr., P, Spokane, Wash.) and the Pirates never trailed by less than double-digits the rest of the way.

Brent Satern finished with 22 points and five assists to lead George Fox. He was the only Bruin to reach double figures in scoring. Evan Atwater added eight points.

Whitworth made 55% of its shots from the field (23-42) and outrebounded George Fox 33-24, while holding the Bruins to 40% shooting from the floor (22-55).

Whitworth will play its final non-conference game of the season on Sunday afternoon when the Pirates host UC Santa Cruz at 2:00 p.m. George Fox is off until next Friday when the Bruins travel to Pacific Lutheran.