Linfield Linf 9-5,4-2 NWC

Whitman Whitm 7-8,5-2 NWC

Linfield Linf

9-5,4-2 NWC

Final

Jan. 19, 2022

Whitman Whitm

7-8,5-2 NWC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Linfield Linf	39	41	80
Whitman Whitm	49	32	81

Summary
Box Score

Kelly Bird, Linfield

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 1/19/2022 11:06:00 PM

Men's Basketball Edges Linfield In Key NWC Contest

WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Nikola Trifunovic scored a game-high 23 points, Walter Lum added 22 more and the Whitman College men's basketball team scored a monumental win in an 81-80 win over Linfield in Northwest Conference action on Wednesday night at the Sherwood Center.

With the win, the Blues (7-8, 5-2 NWC) leapfrogged the Wildcats (9-5, 4-2 NWC) in the conference standings and now sit only one game back in the loss column behind first-place Whitworth. Whitman handed Whitworth its only league loss earlier this month.

Dempsey Roggenbuck led four Linfield players in double figures with 21 points. Trey Bryant scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds and Alex Jaczko chipped in 15 points off the bench.

Xzavier Lino added 16 points and eight rebounds for the Blues, his last bucket coming with 1:33 remaining to put Whitman up 80-77. After a missed Wildcat shot, Weston Crump got fouled on Whitman's next trip down the court and hit one of two from the line to put his team up by four. Jackzo then converted an and-one down on the other end to shave the Whitman lead to one point and set up an exciting final minute. Crump missed a three-pointer on Whitman's ensuing trip down the court, but the Blues were equal to the task on the defensive end as Trey Bryant couldn't get his baseline jumper to go and the Blues walked away with the win.

Whitman looked sharp in the first half and even opened up a nine-point lead. Three pointers from Lino and Trifunovic gave their team a 26-17 lead with 10:18 to play. The hot play continued as back-to-back Lum jumpers kept the Blues in front.

Linfield resposponded in a big way, reeling off 12 unanswered points to take their first lead. Roggenbuck and Jackzo did the damage, each hitting a three pointer to put the Wildcats up 33-30 late in the half. Whitman regained its form as the threes began to fall. Lum, Lino and Alex Pape all hit three pointers to help the Blues to a 10-point halftime lead.

Whitman continued to lead in the second half but the game had evolved into a tight affair. Lum hit from three to break a tie score, then connected on a backdoor layup to put his team up by two with 10:39 to play. Late in the game, though, Jackzo hit from the floor to put Linfield up 76-73, but five quick Whitman points put the Blues ahead 78-76.

Next up for the Blues is a visit to George Fox this Friday, Jan. 21. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m.

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