Complete box score

SPOKANE, Wash. – David Riley scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to lead Whitworth to a hard-fought 82-70 win over visiting Linfield in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday evening at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

David Riley

Riley (So., G, Palo Alto, Calif.) helped the Pirates outscore the Wildcats 50-35 after halftime. Linfield had taken a 35-32 lead into the locker rooms and the Wildcats looked they might sweep Whitworth this season.

Linfield took its halftime lead when the Wildcats outscored the Pirates 13-2 over the final five and a half minutes of the first period. Ross Nakamura (Sr., G, Moraga, Calif.) sparked the Pirates to a 30-22 lead by scoring 15 points over the first 15 minutes of the game, including three three-pointers. But the Wildcats clamped down defensively and limited the Pirates to only a pair of free throws by Nate Montgomery (Jr., P, Sammamish, Wash.) the rest of the period. Meanwhile Cody Tesoro hit a big three pointer to give Linfield the lead and Erik Olsen took a full court pass and hit a jumper just before halftime.

Riley gave the Pirates their first lead of the second half (43-41) when he nailed a long three-pointer three and a half minutes into the period. Whitworth stretched the lead to 52-43 on another Riley three before the Wildcats fought back to within 52-50 on a pair of free throws by Austin Hunt.

Whitworth led 59-58 with 7:45 left after a score by Linfield's Drew Schroeder, then the Pirates took off on on a 16-0 run that decided the game. Riley hit two three pointers during the run and Tim Sellereit (Sr., G, Bellingham, Wash.) scored seven of the points. Four of Sellereit's points came at the free throw line after Linfield's bench and Hunt were whistled for separate technical fouls. By the time the run was done Whitworth led 75-58 with 4:09 to play.

However Linfield regrouped to pull within 75-67 with 2:20 to go when Wiser drained a three pointer from the wing. Sellereit stemmed the tied with a jumper and Whitworth went 6 of 6 from the free throw line in the final 1:37 to ice the win.

The Pirates improved to 17-4 overall and 9-3 in the NWC, good for at least a tie for second in the NWC standings - pending the Lewis & Clark result at Pacific. Linfield, which handed Whitworth its first NWC loss of the season (88-79) in McMinnville on January 10th, dropped to 8-13 and 6-6 and will at least remain tied for the fourth and final NWC playoff spot, pending Willamette's result at Whitman tonight.

Riley led all players with his 21 points, making 4 of 9 from three point range (4 of 6 in the second half). Nakamura totaled 20 points and four assists. Montgomery added 17 points and six rebounds, while Sellereit totaled 16 points and six boards.

Tesoro led Linfield with 18 points and five assists, while Wiser scored 17 points (12 in the second half) and grabbed a team-high six boards. Olsen totaled 15 points.

Whitworth will face league-leading Puget Sound next Friday at 8:00 p.m. in Tacoma. Linfield will stay on the road, playing at Lewis & Clark on Friday.