Box Score WALLA WALLA, Wash. - It was a tough night for the Blues who ran into a more experienced and seasoned Pirate team. Walter Lum led all scorers with 14 points and pulled down six rebounds, Weston Crump added 13 points on 2-4 shooting in three pointers, but it wasn't enough to prevent an 81-60 loss to Whitworth in Northwest Conference action on Friday at the Sherwood Center.

The undersized Blues squad was outrebounded by the Bucs to the tune of a 41-21 advantage, including a 13-2 disparity on the offensive glass. Whitworth was able to capitalize for a 13-0 second-chance points advantage.

Brad Lackey and Miguel Lopez both scored 13 to lead the Pirates whose bench poured in 32 points. 

The Bucs led early but the Blues hung around after an elbow three pointer from Xzavier Lino and a driving layup from Lum made it an 8-7 score with 15:32 to play. The Pirates quickly pushed the lead to double digits however. Garrett Paxton twice scored at the hoop as part of a 10-0 Whitworth run as the Bucs took an 18-7 lead heading to the midpoint of the first half.

The Blues hung tough as Lum nailed a three pointer and Crump got his jumper to go to keep the deficit under double digits at 25-17. Whitworth then took off and, in the blink of an eye, pushed the lead north of 20 points. Three pointers from Jerry Twenge and Kea Vargas bolstered the advantage to 43-22 with 3:52 to play until halftime. The lead continued to swell as the Bucs put 53 points on the board by halftime for a 22-point lead.

The Blues clamped down on defense in the second half but the mountain proved too tall to climb. Though held under 30 points in the second half, the Bucs pushed the lead to as many as 28 points and won going away.

Whitman will have little time to lick its wounds as the two teams face off on Saturday at 6:00 p.m.