WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Rallying from a halftime deficit Whitman College turned the tables on visiting Willamette University with an early second-half surge then won going away, 71-60, in Northwest Conference women's basketball action Friday evening at the Sherwood Athletics Center. The Missionaries' Heather Johns led all scorers and completed the double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds during the victory over the Bearcats.

The victory pushes Whitman's conference mark to 6-3 and their overall record to 11-7 while Willamette falls to 1-8 and 6-12, respectively.

The Missionaries began their comeback from a 37-31 halftime deficit by coming out the break on a 10-2 run to push Whitman in front, 41-39, for its first lead since the 8:15 mark of the first half. Emily Rommel fueled much of the streak notching a jumper and two sets of pairs of free throws sandwiched around an Alysse Ketner jumper.

Jojo DeLong popped in a 3-pointer for Willamette to take back the lead but the Bearcats' advantage was brief Hallie Buse drained a trey to wrest the lead back for good.

Whitman's edge grew to as many as nine before the Bearcats would scratch away at their deficit, finally pulling to within two at 55-53 with 5:45 to play.

A Rommel layup and free throw increased the cushion to five before Willamette bounced back for a deuce. After a Ketner layup the Missionaries' defense increased its pressure, forcing a series of turnovers that effectively iced the game. Out of options but to foul the Bearcats had to stand idly by while trips to the foul line by Hailey Ann Maeda, Johns and Casey Poe extended the lead to its final 11-point margin.

Maeda, with 12 points, joined Johns in double-figures for the M's while Rommel pulled down eight rebounds to go along with nine points. Katie Kalugin paced Willamette with 16 points and also pulled off the double-double as she came away with 10 boards during the loss.

The Whitman defense may have come away with only nine steals and forced 20 turnovers, but it also limited Willamette to just 26 percent shooting from the floor over the second half and only 37 percent for the game.

Conference action at home continues Saturday afternoon for Whitman as it squares off against visiting Lewis & Clark College in a 4 p.m. tip off.