Complete box score

SPOKANE, Wash. – David Riley tied a Whitworth record for three-pointers in a game with eight, all in the first half, to lead the Pirates past visiting Pacific Lutheran 88-60 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

David Riley

Riley (So., G, Palo Alto, Calif.) scored 34 of his career-high 37 points in the first half when he drained 8 of 12 from three point range. His eight three-pointers tied his own school record he set last season at Caltech on November 24th.

Riley sparked the 24th-ranked Pirates (12-3 overall, 4-2 NWC) to a dynamic first half lead of 57-14. Whitworth hit 75% of its shots in the half (24 of 32), including 9 of 16 from three point range. Meanwhile the Pirate defense was holding PLU to only 19% (6-32) from the field and Whitworth outrebounded the Lutes 26-11 in the period. A Riley three gave the Pirates a 22-2 lead six and a half minutes into the game and another Riley three made it 36-9 with under ten minutes left in the period. He scored five points in the final minute of the half, including a jumper at the buzzer for a 43-point halftime lead.

PLU (7-7, 1-4) steadily ate away at the lead in a second half in which the Pirates played their bench extensively. Riley was given a chance to break his single game three-point record early in the second half, but was fouled on his first attempt and he missed his next four tries before he came out of the game with more than 15 minutes to play. The Lutes got within 25 points late in the game on a pair of Nick Stackhouse free throws, but that was as close as the score would get.

Riley surpassed the previous career high of 34 points set in this season's opener against Brockport State. Nate Montgomery (Jr., P, Sammamish, Wash.) added 14 points, while Tim Sellereit (Sr., G, Bellingham, Wash.) added 13, all in the second half. Ross Nakamura (Sr., G, Moraga, Calif.) dished eight assists and grabbed eight rebounds.

Stackhouse led the Lutes with 22 points, 18 in the second half. Victor Bull had 11 points and nine rebounds, while James Conti added 11 points and had five assists.

Whitworth will host Whitman in a Tuesday night game at the Fieldhouse at 8:00 p.m. PLU's next game is at home on Friday against Linfield.