BURLINGAME, Calif. -- Showing little sign of rust after a twenty day layoff, Whitworth University rolled to an 85-33 non-conference men's basketball win over UC Santa Cruz on Thursday in the first game of the Ameriprise Classic at Burlingame HS.

David Riley (Fr., G, Palo Alto, Calif.) scored 19 points and Colin Willemsen (Sr., F, Moraga, Calif.) added 18 points for the Pirates (5-1), who had not played since winning at Redlands on December 1st. Willemsen also led Whitworth with eight rebounds and added four assists. Ryan Symes (Sr., F, Palo Alto, Calif.) finished with 13 points, while Ross Nakamura (Jr., G, Moraga, Calif.) dished six assists.

Ryan Matsuoka came off of the bench to lead the Banana Slugs (2-6) with seven points.

Whitworth jumped to a 25-2 lead 11 minutes into the game and the Pirates were never threatened thereafter.

Whitworth shot 50% (32-64) from the field, while holding UCSC to 23.8% (10-42). The Pirates outrebounded the Slugs 50-25 and forced 19 UCSC turnovers.

Whitworth will return to action on December 29th at the College of Staten Island (N.Y.) Tournament of Heroes. The Pirates will take on Richard Stockton (N.J.) in the opening round.

The Ameriprise Classic will conclude on Saturday when UCSC takes on Lewis & Clark College at 1:00 p.m. The classic was shortened to two games after Golden State Baptist College pulled out of the event in early December.