Click here for complete box score

SALEM, Ore. - Alida Bower scored 15 of her 20 points before halftime to lead visiting Whitworth to a lead the Pirates would never relinquish in a 78-69 Northwest Conference women’s basketball win on Friday night at Willamette.

Alida Bower

The Pirates (7-5 overall, 1-2 NWC) led 44-32 at halftime and held the Bearcats (1-8, 0-3) at bay throughout the second half.

Willamette jumped to a quick 7-1 lead four minutes into the game, but a Bower (Sr., F, Onalaska, Wash.) gave Whitworth its first lead of the game at 14-13 with 10:26 to play in the period. Cassie Pilkinton (Jr., G, Chelan, Wash.) hit a three-pointer to give the Pirates a 29-18 lead five minutes later, Whitworth’s first double-digit lead of the game. Bower’s three with 1:19 to go in the half gave the Pirates the largest lead of the period at 42-28. They took the 12-point advantage into the locker rooms.

Pilkinton hit a long three early in the second half to give Whitworth a 49-34 lead, the largest of the game for the Bucs and an advantage they would match later at 56-41 when Ren Mallory (Jr., G, Spokane, Wash.) hit a jumper in the lane with 13:30 to play.

But Willamette fought back to cut the deficit to seven points (70-63) on a three-point play by Alex Zennon with four minutes left. But Pilkinton hit a pair of free throws and Natalie Orrell (Jr., G, Wenatchee, Wash.) scored on a lay-up to push the lead back to 11 with 2:49 to play and the Bearcats did not have enough time left to mount a final comeback.

Bower’s 20 points led Whitworth. She was 4 of 8 from three-point range, 7 of 15 from the field overall. Orrell and Pilkinton each added 13 points and Tiffany Corigliano (Sr., P, Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) finished with 10 rebounds.

The Pirates shot only 34.9% from the field (40% from three-point range), but forced 25 turnovers by the Bearcats which allowed Whitworth to take 17 more shots from the floor and 12 more free throws than Willamette.

Senior forward Molly Fillion, the leading scorer and rebounder in the NWC, had 27 points and 13 rebounds to lead all players in both categories. Jenny Fillion, Molly’s twin sister, added 18 points and seven boards.

Whitworth will try to pick up a second straight NWC road win on Saturday at Linfield at 4:00 p.m.