The Whitworthian

Issue date: 2/20/07 Last Updated: 8/9/07

Sophomore forward Alida Bower puts up a shot in the second half of Whitworth's 74-57 win over the Willamette Bearcats. The Pirates finished their NWC campaign 8-8.

Despite getting knocked out of playoff contention last Tuesday, the Whitworth women's basketball team hung on to win 74-57 over the visiting Willamette University Bearcats last Friday.

Two players, sophomore forward Alida Bower and freshman post Susan McDaniel, finished with double-doubles. Bower finished the game with 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Pirates in both categories, while McDaniel finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

With the Pirates leading 28-25 and only 3:21 remaining in the first half after a free throw by Willamette's Laura Payne, Whitworth went on a 8-2 run to end the half leading 36-27. The Pirates then pounced on the Bearcats early in the second half as junior guard Teresa Zeitler hit a bucket a minute into the half, followed by two free throws by McDaniel to build a 13-point lead after a minute and a half.

The Bearcats would not go away, chipping the lead down to four after a Keilyn Fujioka lay up off a pass from Payne. But that would be as close as they got.

Bower hit two free throws, then sophomore guard Cassie Snyder hit a three-pointer, followed by two more free throws from Bower to extend the lead by to 11 with 11:41 to go.

When Bower went to the line and hit two free throws with a little over two minutes left, the Pirates gained their largest lead of the game of 20.

However, the Pirates were not able to gain entry into the Northwest Conference playoffs after a 58-48 loss at Whitman College last Tuesday. Jamie Scott and Leah Pomante had to stay home with the flu, while Zeitler fought through the flu to play 10 minutes in the game.

After trading baskets for most of the first half, the Missionaries started to pull away at the end of the first half, leading 27-15 with just under two minutes to play. But the Pirates cut the lead to seven at halftime.

The Pirates and Missionaries continued to battle in the second half, as the Missionaries consistently held an advantage. The Pirates came within six points on several occasions, but could come no closer. Bower led the Pirates with 13 points.

However, everyone was rested back to health in time to close out the season against the Bearcats with the 17 point victory.

With the win, the Pirates finished their season with an 8-8 record in the NWC and a 14-11 record overall. Head coach Helen Higgs was honored for her 200th victory, which came against George Fox University on Feb. 3.

Higgs has been the head coach for 13 seasons and has six straight winning seasons, including eight of the last nine seasons.

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