SPOKANE, Wash. -- Playing at home for the first time during the 2007-08 season, Whitworth University used its defense and rebounding to defeat visiting Lewis & Clark College 64-33 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Friday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Symes led the Bucs with 17 points, 6 boards

The Pirates (8-3 overall, 2-1 NWC), who came into the game leading the NWC in scoring defense, shooting percentage defense and rebounding margin, used all of those strengths in the win over the Pioneers (7-4 overall, 1-2 NWC). L&C came into the game ranked 22nd in the latest D3hoops.com poll and the favorites in the NWC this season based on the preseason NWC coaches poll.

Whitworth held L&C to 26.1% (12-46) shooting from the floor and 20.8% (5-24) from three-point range. The Bucs outrebounded the Pioneers 49-26, 28-10 in the second half when Whitworth outscored Lewis & Clark 40-17. The Pirates needed the solid defensive and rebounding efforts because Whitworth only made 38% (22-58) of its shots.

The first half resembled a rugby match as neither team shot well and Whitworth took a 24-16 lead into halftime. The Pirates benefited from a 10-4 turnover advantage and a 21-16 rebounding edge by taking 11 more shots (33-22) than L&C. The Pirates scored the first seven points of the second half to grab a 31-16 lead and steadily extended that lead throughout the rest of the game.

Ryan Symes (Sr., F, Palo Alto, Calif.) led Whitworth with 17 points, while Nate Montgomery (So., P, Sammamish, Wash.) scored 11 and grabbed 8 rebounds. Colin Willemsen (Sr., F, Moraga, Calif.) led the Bucs' rebounding efforts with 12 boards. Ross Nakamura (Jr., G, Moraga, Calif.) dished 10 assists.

Joey Taboni, who scored the first two baskets for L&C, was the only Pioneer to reach double figures with 12 points. David Berggren added eight points and Tyson Papenfuss had six rebounds.

Whitworth, which played its first ten games on the road and is the second-to-last NCAA Division III team to play a scheduled home game this season (Lawrence of Wisconsin plays its first home contest tomorrow), will try to make it two in a row on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. against Pacific University.

L&C, which shared the 2007 NWC regular season title with Whitworth, will try to get back on track after losing two straight conference contests at Whitman College on Saturday night.