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Whitman College Athletics

Schedule

Xzavier Lino
PLU Athletics
68
Whitman WC-M 1-0, 1-0 NWC
76
Winner Pacific Lutheran PLU-M 0-1, 0-1 NWC
Whitman WC-M
1-0, 1-0 NWC
68
Final
76
Pacific Lutheran PLU-M
0-1, 0-1 NWC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Whitman WC-M 31 37 68
Pacific Lutheran PLU-M 26 50 76

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men's Basketball Upended At PLU In Season Opener

TACOMA, Wash. - Walter Lum scored a team-high 17 points, Xzavier Lino put up 15 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds but it wasn't enough as the Whitman College men's basketball team fell 76-68 at Pacific Lutheran in its Northwest Conference season opener on Friday night.

Mamane Yaou added 14 points off the bench and Weston Crump, dealing with early foul trouble, finished with seven points. Seth Hall was sensational for the Lutes (1-0, 1-0 NWC), dropping 26 points on 7-14 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds.

The game started off well for the Blues (0-1, 0-1 NWC) as Lino opened with a three pointer and later Yaou connected on a jumper to give Whitman an 8-6 lead with 15:55 to play. Both teams went cold from the field before Hall converted an and-one three-point play to put the Lutes up by one.

The contest remained tight throughout the first half. Lum put the Blues ahead with his jumper at the midway point of the half before Jordan Thomas completed a three-point play to regain the lead for the Lutes. The teams continued to trade baskets but Crump nailed a three-pointer with 6:43 to play to put the Blues up 22-19. 

Kanoa Johnson later scored on a layup inside of two minutes to push the lead to 29-23, Whitman's largest to that point. Hall responded with a layup to stop the bleeding as the Blues carried a 31-26 lead into halftime.

Lino kickstarted the scoring for the Blues in the second half, drilling a three pointer off a dish from Lum to put his team up 34-27. Brandin Riedel scored at the cup on back-to-back Lute possessions, but Jai Deshpande hit a three pointer to put Whitman back out in front just ahead of the first media timeout.

Whitman kept at it and extended the lead to 41-33 after a Yaou layup. PLU needed a response and gave one, reeling off eight unanswered points to tie the game at 41-41 with 11:23 to play. 

The teams battled down the stretch. Yaou gave the Blues the lead at 54-52 but Sean McCurdy drained a three pointer to put the Lutes up 57-54 just inside of seven minutes to play. McCurdy's hot shooting continued when he scored in the paint then dailed long distance again to force the Blues to call a timeout. The Blues saw their deficit climb to 10 points when Hall hit back-to-back buckets to make it a 69-59 ballgame with 3:52 to play. 

Coach Lamanna and his new look squad showed some early season grit in the final minutes. Lum and Yaou connected on consecutive jumpers, then Lum brought the Blues to within three points when he nailed a three pointer with 1:09 to play. Time would run out as the Blues had to play the foul game inside the final minute before suffering the loss.

The Blues and Lutes retake the court again on Saturday, Jan. 23. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.
 
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