REDLANDS, Calif. -- Claremont-Mudd-Scripps forced Whitworth into its worst performance of the young season, handing the 15th-ranked Pirates a men's basketball 73-68 loss in the semifinals of the Lee Fulmer Classic hosted by the University of Redlands.
The Pirates (5-1) shot a season low 41.5% from the field, including an ice-cold 31.8% (7/22) in the first half. C-M-S also became the first team this season to out-rebound Whitworth (30-24). David Riley (So., G, Palo Alto, Calif.) led the Pirates with 22 points, 19 in the second half as Whitworth tried to overcome a 36-26 halftime deficit. Bo Gregg (Jr., F, Lewiston, Idaho) finished with 14 points and Ross Nakamura added 12 points for the Pirates. Michael Bagby and Chris Blees each scored 16 points to lead the Stags (5-1), who shot 55.3% from the field - the highest shooting percentage by a Pirate opponent all season. Whitworth never led in the first half, and only was tied once (5-5) as C-M-S forced the Pirates into poor shooting from the perimeter. Nate Montgomery (Jr., P, Sammamish, Wash.) spent most of the half on the bench with three fouls. The Bucs got within 28-24 on a pair of free throws by Calvin Jurich (Sr., P, Spokane, Wash.) before the Stags ended the half on an 8-2 run for a 36-26 halftime lead. Claremont-M-S took its largest lead of the game (44-33) on a jumper by Blees with 16:10 to play before the Pirates began to chip away at the lead. Gregg's three-pointer pulled Whitworth within 50-47 and his basket with 7:49 to play got the Bucs within 57-56. The Pirates looked like they might pull it out when Riley made a basket to give Whitworth a 61-59 lead with under four minutes to play, but the Bucs went scoreless over the next 90 seconds allowing the Stags to go back up 66-61 with 2:36 left. The loss was Whitworth's first ever at the Fulmer Classic, where the Pirates have won the tournament each of their previous two appearances. Whitworth will now play in Saturday's third-place game against with Whitman or UC Santa Cruz at 6:00 p.m. Go to Athletics Home Page > Men's Basketball > Sports Releases > |
