Pacific (OR) Pac 5-9,1-4 NWC

Whitman Whitm 6-8,4-2 NWC

Pacific (OR) Pac

5-9,1-4 NWC

Final

Jan. 18, 2022

Whitman Whitm

6-8,4-2 NWC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Pacific (OR) Pac	21	38	59
Whitman Whitm	19	61	80

Summary
Box Score

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 1/18/2022 9:53:00 PM

Big Second Half Lifts Men's Basketball Past Pacific

WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Nikola Trifunovic scored 23 points, all in the second half, Jai Deshpande delivered a career-high 28 points and the Whitman College men's basketball team turned a two-point halftime deficit into an 80-59 win over Pacific (OR) in Northwest Conference action on Tuesday night at the Sherwood Center.

Deshpande's offensive output, which included 4-8 from three-point range, led to a 61-point second half as Whitman (6-8, 4-2 NWC) raced away to the win and set up a key matchup on Wednesday against Linfield who sits atop the league standings. Trifunovic's 23 points was his third straight 20-point game and went along with a game-high eight rebounds and five assists.

Jacob Bolger led the Boxers (5-9, 1-4 NWC) with 17 points and Lucas Winkler added six points, six steals and five rebounds.

Both teams struggled mightily in the first half. The Blues shot only 20% from the floor and made just six field goals including 1-13 from beyond the arc. The Boxers shot a hair better at 30% but went 0-6 in three pointers.

That all changed in the second half, especially for Whitman. The Blues shot a scorching 73% from the field and drilled six of their 13 three point attempts. After his scoreless first half, Trifunovic immediately put his stamp on the second half. He scored at the hoop then drained a three pointer to highlight a 9-0 Whitman run to start the half.

The Blues continued to lead, then exploded as Trifunovic nailed back-to-back three pointers as part of a 10-2 run to put his team up 46-32 with 12:19 to play. Deshpande had also found his touch, converting a jumper then dialing long distance to lift Whitman's lead to 22 points.

A win over Linfield will go a long way toward Whitman's efforts to secure a spot in the NWC Tournament. The Blues will hope to climb the conference ladder when the teams meet tomorrow at the Sherwood Center at 8:00 p.m.

#GoWhitman

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