Complete box score

SPOKANE, Wash. – Nate Montgomery and Whitworth outscored Linfield 16-6 over the final 4:19 to overcome a valiant effort by the visiting Wildcats and their senior forward Erik Olson 74-66 in a Northwest Conference semi-final on Thursday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Nate Montgomery

The Pirates improved to 21-5 and will play at regular-season champion Puget Sound in the NWC tournament final on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.

Olson scored a career-high 32 points to lead Linfield. Cody Tesoro added 14 points and it was his basket with 4:43 to play that gave the Wildcats their final lead of the game at 60-58. But Nate Montgomery took over for Whitworth, scoring the next 14 Pirate points. His three-pointer from the top of the key gave Whitworth a 65-60 lead with 1:32 to play. Olson answered with his seventh three-pointer of the game to pull the Wildcats back within two points, but Montgomery converted a three-point play on Whitworth's next possession and then rebounded the next two misses by Linfield. He made two free throws on each of those possessions.

Whitworth took an early 11-4 lead before Olson answered with his first three-pointer of the game. Trailing 16-12, the Wildcats went on a 15-4 run, including eight points by Olson, to go up 27-20. After Whitworth fought back to tie the game on inside baskets by Montgomery and Calvin Jurich, Olson hit a three and a long two as time expired to give Linfield a 35-30 halftime lead.

Tesoro's three-pointer early in the second half gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game at 43-35. But Whitworth scored the next eight points and tied the game on a put-back by Jurich with 13:54 to play. There were five ties and three lead changes over the next nine minutes, when Tesoro's bucket gave the 'Cats their final lead.

Calvin Jurich

Olson made 7 of 11 from beyond the arc and all seven of his free throws for Linfield, which ends its season 12-14 after a 2-8 start. Tesoro added a game-high eight assists and K.C. Wiser grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds.

Montgomery had a career night of his own with 31 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks. Jurich added his seventh double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 boards. Nakamura finished with 18 points, 14 in the second half.

Whitworth held Linfield to 32.3% shooting from the field, 28.1% (9-32) in the second half.

Puget Sound defeated Lewis & Clark 86-74 in tonight's other semi-final. Saturday's NWC tournament final will determine the NWC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.