WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Whitman College hosted the University of La Verne in the season opening game at the Sherwood Center Saturday night. The game was tight early, but after the Missionaries found their rhythm it was all but over for the Leopards as Whitman pulled away in a 106-73 win.
 
Christian McDonald, who is a junior with sophomore eligibility, and sophomore Tim Howell, led the Missionaries early. Howell shot 5-9 for 15 points in the opening half, while McDonald started an astounding 7-7 from the field, with 16.
 
Whitman (1-0) Head Coach Eric Bridgeland referenced McDonald's first half performance as something that really helped the team get going. "Christian can do that. Next game he could come out and be 7-7 in the first half. He can do those kinds of things."
 
Whitman's first year athletes contributed 31 points on the night, led by guard Montez White's 11. The Missionaries dominated the boards throughout the night where they out-rebounded the Leopards 51-36, 19 coming on the offensive glass.
 
The Missionaries led early 12-3, but La Verne (0-2) answered with a run and the game sat tied 29-29 with six minutes remaining on the clock. From that point, Whitman went on a massive 25-7 run and took a 54-36 lead into the half.
 
The tempo did not slow much in the second half for the Missionaries as Whitman continued to pound the paint and control the boards. Bridgeland was pleased with his team's resilience early, "I liked that we were in a tight game and we found ways to get stops and to separate by playing great defense in the second half."
 
Whitman finished the night leading nearly every category on the box score. Arguably, the most impressive stat line of the night was the points in the paint where the Missionaries outscored the Leopards by a staggering 20 points. Whitman was also able to force 18 La Verne turnovers and accrue 17 steals.
 
After stretching its lead to 30 at one point in the second half, the Missionaries tempo finally eased. With less than one minute to go first year, Jeff Kenney put the icing on the cake with a monster dunk that put an exclamation point on the night. Needless to say it was a good night for Whitman men's basketball on its opening night.
 
The Missionaries next game comes next Saturday night back at the Sherwood Center against California Institute of Technology. The game is set to tip at 5:00 p.m.