Complete box score

SPOKANE, Wash. – Puget Sound built a 19-point lead early in the second half, then held off a pair of spirited Whitworth rallies to beat the Pirates 89-77 in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Five players reached double figures in scoring for the 12th-ranked Loggers (12-2 overall, 5-0 NWC), who now own a two-game lead over the 24th-ranked Pirates (11-3, 3-2) in the conference standings.

Nate Montgomery

David Riley's (So., G, Palo Alto, Calif.) lay in gave Whitworth an early 12-9 lead, but it would be the last of the game for the Bucs as Austin Boyce hit back to back three-pointers to give UPS a 15-12 lead. The Loggers continued to stretch the first half advantage when Colin Koach scored inside for a 28-18 lead. UPS took its biggest lead of the half when Kaleb Sheton sank a pair of free throws with 23 seconds to play, but Nate Montgomery (Jr., P, Sammamish, Wash.) hit a jumper just before halftime to get Whitworth within 48-34.

When Boyce drained another three and Robert Krauel hit a put back to start the second half, the Loggers had their largest lead of the game (53-34). But then the Pirates hit 10 of their next 11 shots to get within 63-58 with 13:36 to play. Riley and Tim Sellereit (Sr., G, Bellingham, Wash.) each hit a pair of threes and Montgomery added eight points during the run, including a breakaway dunk.

Whitworth then got within 65-63 on Sellereit's lay in, but Steffond Brown answered for UPS with back to back three-pointers. Another Boyce three gave the Loggers a 74-65 lead, but the Pirates answered and pulled within 76-73 on Nakamura's three-pointer with 5:06 to play. UPS then took final control of the game, outscoring the tired Bucs 11-0 over the next four minutes to put the game away.

Krauel led led the Loggers with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Boyce finished with 16 led by his four three-pointers. Jason Foster had 14 points, while Antwan Williams added 12 points and seven assists. Bryce Levin had 12 points off of the bench. The Loggers stemmed the Pirates by making 12 of 25 three-pointers as a team (48%).

Montgomery finished with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Pirates, who have dropped two straight contests. Riley finished with 14 points and Calvin Jurich (Sr., P, Spokane, Wash.) had 13 points, seven assists and six boards. The Bucs followed a 38% shooting first half with a 58% second, but it wasn't quite enough to complete the comeback.

Whitworth will look to break its two-game losing streak on Saturday when the Pirates host Pacific Lutheran at 6:00 p.m. UPS will play at Whitman at 8:00 p.m.