Complete Box Score and Play by Play

TACOMA, Wash. -- (From PLU SID Office) Pacific Lutheran took advantage of a cold shooting night by visiting Whitworth to record their 11th straight victory, 69-45 over the Pirates in a Northwest Conference game today at Olson Auditorium.

The Bucs (8-6, 2-4 NWC) made just 6-of-33 field goal tries in the first half (18.2%) as the Lutes (13-1, 6-0 NWC) built a 28-15 halftime lead. Whitworth improved slightly in the second half -- to 25.8 percent on 8-31 shooting -- but the Lutes hit 55 percent of their shots in the final 20 minutes to thwart any comeback attempts.

The Lutes broke a 4-4 tie, scoring nine straight points and 17 of the next 22 for a 21-9 lead with 5:58 left in the first half. In the second half PLU led by as many as 28 points.

Nikki Johnson had a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds, Mallory Mann had 14 points and six assists and Patricia Buckingham finished with 10 points, to lead the Lutes. Emily Hendrickson scored 12 points and had five rebounds for Whitworth.

Next Up: Whitworth will host Whitman College on Tuesday night in the Fieldhouse. The Missionaries are 6-8 overall and 2-4 in the NWC after suffering the same sweep to PLU and UPS that Whitworth did. Forward Kate Patneaude leads the team with averages of 13.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Last season Whitworth swept Whitman, manufacturing the wins with a pair of huge comebacks. The Pirates came from 10 points down at halftime to win 67-61 in Spokane. Whitworth was down by 21 points in the first half of a 60-56 win in Walla Walla.