Complete Box Score and Play by Play

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Pacific Lutheran moved into sole possession of first place in the Northwest Conference women's basketball standings by holding off Whitworth 64-56 on Saturday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates, playing without leading scorer Emily Hendrickson who injured her knee in Friday night's loss to UPS, climbed back from a 15-point first half deficit to get within 58-55 with under three minutes to play. With 1:45 left in the game Whitworth's Danielle Wegman had a chance to tie the game with a three pointer, but it rimmed out. PLU's Kelly Turner followed with a three point play with 1:17 to go, extending the Lutes' lead back to six points. Turner made three of four free throws in the final minute to keep the Bucs at bay.

PLU, ranked 21st in the latest D3hoops.com poll, improved to 19-3 overall and 12-2 in the NWC. Paired with Whitman's win over UPS on Saturday, the Lutes' lead the Loggers by a game with two games to play in the season. Whitworth (13-9, 7-7 NWC) fell two games behind George Fox in the race for third place and the final NWC playoff spot.

In the first half PLU broke away from a 9-9 tie with nine straight points to open an 18-9 lead. A three pointer by Turner gave the Lutes their largest lead of the game at 34-19 with 3:27 to play in the half. But Whitworth closed the half with a 9-0 run, including five points by Wegman, to pull within 34-28 at the break. The Lutes got the lead back to as many as 12 points in the second half when Mallory Mann drove for a basket as the shot clock expired with just over six minutes to play. But the Pirates made their final run to get within three points.

Turner led all scorers with 19 points for the Lutes. Nikki Johnson and Kezia Long each posted double-doubles. Johnson had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Long added 13 points and 14 boards. Mann dished a game-high eight assists.

Holly Ridings led Whitworth with 12 points, while Wegman and Chelsea Combs each added 10 points. Combs added a career-high 12 rebounds.

Whitworth will return to action on Tuesday night when the Pirates travel to play Whitman at 6:00 pm. PLU's next game is Friday night at home against George Fox.