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Hendrickson led the Bucs with 17 points

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Despite giving up 22 turnovers, 20 offensive rebounds and 21 more shots, Whitworth College held on to defeat visiting Linfield College 58-46 in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Saturday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates improved to 12-6 overall and 6-4 in the NWC and remained undefeated at home this season (10-0). Linfield (10-9, 4-6) dropped its fourth straight game and sixth in the last seven.

Linfield outrebounded Whitworth 39-30, including a 20-5 edge in offensive rebounds. That rebounding effort allowed the Wildcats to take 59 shots, 21 more than the Pirates. But Linfield only managed to shoot 27% (16/59) from the field, while Whitworth made 45% (17/38), including 5/12 from three point range.

A Portia Jackson jumper gave Linfield an early 8-4 lead, but Whitworth responded with a 9-0 run to lead 13-8 after two free throws by Kelli Highland. Bayley Coblentz made two free throws to put Linfield back on top 14-13, but Whitworth scored the next six points to lead 19-14 and never trailed again. The Pirates led 29-18, but a basket at the buzzer by the Wildcats' Casey Stepan made the score 29-20 as the teams went to the locker rooms.

Emily Hendrickson's three pointer with 14 minutes left in the game gave Whitworth its largest lead of the night at 41-28. But Linfield began using its rebounding advantage an timely Pirate turnovers to cut away at the lead. A put back by Coblentz pulled the Wildcats to within 46-41 with 6:04 to play. Jessica Hanato's three point basket with 1:57 to play got Linfield within 49-46, but Hendrickson answered with a three point play to extend the lead back to 52-46. The Pirates were six of six from the line in the final minute to secure the win.

Hendrickson finished with a game-high 17 points and Holly Ridings added 11 for Whitworth. Danielle Wegman led the Bucs with six rebounds.

Linfield got ten points apiece from Jackson and Coblentz. Coblentz grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.

Both teams will return to action next Friday night. Linfield will travel to Pacific University, while Whitworth heads to Willamette University. Both games will begin at 6:00 pm.