SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University forced a tie atop the Northwest Conference men's basketball standings and gained what could turn into a critical sweep of the University of Puget Sound with a comeback 80-78 win over the visiting Loggers on Saturday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Symes scored a game-high 28 points

The Pirates (17-6 overall, 10-4 NWC) trailed by 11 points in the first half and ten points at halftime before outscoring UPS (17-5, 10-4) 50-38 in the second half. Ryan Symes (Sr., F, Palo Alto, Calif.) keyed the comeback with 28 points and six rebounds, while Colin Willemsen (Sr., F, Moraga, Calif.) added 20 points and six rebounds. Ross Nakamura (Jr., G, Moraga, Calif.) scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half to spark the Pirates.

Jason Foster scored 24 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to lead the Loggers. Antwan Williams finished with 21 points, including three long three-pointers in the final minutes to keep UPS close. Taylor Marsh added 16 points for UPS.

It was a tale of two halves. In the first half the Loggers shot 48% (13-27) and outrebounded Whitworth 21-14 while holding the Pirates to 29% (7-27) shooting. In the second period Whitworth made 59% (17-29) of its shots and held UPS to 39% (12-31). And the Bucs outrebounded the Loggers 21-14 after the break.

With the game tied 24-24 after a pair of free throws by Symes, UPS went on an 11-0 run to take control. Foster and Williams scored all 11 points during the spurt, which included a technical foul against the Pirates' bench. The Loggers went into halftime with a 40-30 lead after Foster drained a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left and Willemsen's shot just before the buzzer bounced out. Foster had 17 points at the break.

Nakamura had 17 of his 19 in the 2nd half

But Whitworth opened the second half on a 14-4 run, including eight points by Nakamura, to tie the game 44-44 after a put back basket by David Riley (Fr., G, Palo Alto, Calif.). UPS eventually stretched the lead back to 58-53 after a three-pointer by Taylor Marsh and the Loggers continued to hold the lead until Whitworth tied the game again 60-60 on a three-point play by Willemsen with 6:14 to go. Whitworth took its first lead of the half on a pair of free throws by Symes on the next possession, but Marsh answered with another three to put UPS back in front 63-62. But the Pirates scored the next six points and led 68-63 with 3:18 to play after another pair of free throws by Symes.

With Whitworth lead 79-75 after two UPS free throws by Robert Krauel with 14 seconds to play, Symes missed two freebies and Williams drained a long three-pointer with six seconds left to pull the Loggers within 79-78. Nakamura was immediately fouled, and he made his first attempt. After a UPS timeout, Nakamura missed his second and Symes grabbed the offensive board. His put back missed and by the time Nakamura grabbed the ball again for Whitworth, the clock was expiring.

With the season sweep of the Loggers, Whitworth gains an important tiebreaker over UPS should the teams remain tied atop the NWC standings at the end of the season. The top seed in the NWC tournament automatically hosts the conference championship game on March 1st, while the second seed hosts the third seed in a playoff on February 28th.

Whitworth will close its home schedule against Whitman College on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. Symes, Willemsen and Jerry Beverly (Sr., G, Pittsburg, Calif.) will be honored prior to tip off.

Puget Sound will finish the regular season at home against Lewis & Clark (Friday) and Willamette (Saturday). Willamette (9-5) moved a game ahead of L&C (8-6) for third place in the NWC standings with a win over the Pioneers on Saturday night.