WALLA WALLA, Wash.  No one, including its rival 150 miles to the North, has played the Whitman men's basketball team tougher than Pacific Lutheran University lately.

That explains why the Lutes on Friday inspired the toughest version of the Blues that their head coach, Eric Bridgeland, has seen this season.

"We couldn't hit a shot. We were 4 for 20 on 3-pointers and missed 18 free throws," Bridgeland said. "Defense and rebounding earned us this win. That was the best, most complete game we've played, defensively and on the glass. We needed it."

And got it, second-ranked Whitman prevailed 87-71 in a rock fight against the last opponent to win a game at Sherwood Center, and the only foe to beat the Blues on their home floor during the 2015-16 season.

PLU won here twice last year, including an upset in the conference tournament semifinals.

"We have the utmost respect for them," said Bridgeland. "They're good."

"They have a good backcourt and good ball-handling ability," added sophomore guard Austin Butler, who had 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocked shots. "We're used to this tempo, and while they hung in there, by the time you get to that 36th minute, you're worn out. That's when we lock in."

Like a python, for which the process of strangulation is no less inexorable and decisive for its laconic enfolding. Whitman (14-0, 5-0 in NWC) never summoned a knockout run, but it did pressure from wire to wire, and there were the Lutes, scoring just one basket over the final six minutes.

"They move the ball well in their halfcourt sets. We just continued to play our game," said junior Tim Howell, whose game-high 21 points were the "quietest 21 I've ever seen," according to Bridgeland.

"The biggest thing is, this is a new team from last year," Howell added. "It's a complete team, in terms of energy and leadership."

The dilemma in guarding Whitman is that it can be equally deadly as shooters or as slashers, and PLU found itself impaled on the latter horn. Spreading the floor and attacking -- "the most fun offense you can play for," Butler noted -- a succession of Blues lined up and knifed into the paint. Jaron Kirkley had six straight points around the midway juncture of the second half to give Whitman a 65-53 bump.

Jase Harrison had six of his 12 points inside the final 11:12, slicing from the top or the wing for layins in gnarly traffic, and a beautiful wrap-around assist to JoJo Wiggins for a layup and 85-69 lead late.

"It's nice to have Jase, that right-hand man who can be that closer if I don't have it going," said Howell -- who had three driving layins over the final 11:47.

Whitman out-rebounded the Lutes 44-41 and grabbed 17 offensive boards. It forced 19 turnovers.

Jack Stewart was the only Blues player feeling it from outside, nailing 3 of 6 3-pointers and finishing with 11 points and two steals. Harrison snagged seven rebounds, Cedric Jacobs-Jones ripped down eight boards and Harrison added seven rebounds.

Bridgeland noted that 10 different players contributed double-digit minutes.

"All of these guys are about having the best possible team effort and seeing if we can get it done," he said. "They're all unselfish."

Jared Christy, the only player in the Northwest Conference who is averaging a double-double this season, had another with 19 points and 17 rebounds for PLU (7-7, 2-3).

Whitman hosts the University of Puget Sound at 6 p.m. on Saturday.