WALLA WALLA, Wash. -
Jander Cline scored a team-high 15 points off the bench on 6-10 shooting, but it came in defeat as the Whitman College men's basketball team fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 72-58 loss to Whitworth in Northwest Conference action on Tuesday night at the Sherwood Center.
The game pitted two of the top teams in the conference with the Bucs handing the Blues their first loss who are now 4-1 in league play and 11-3 overall. Jai Deshpande was solid off the bench as well, adding 14 points and four rebounds.
JT McDermott was one rebound from a double double, posting game highs of 18 points and nine rebounds for the Bucs who are now level with the Blues at the top of the NWC standings.
Whitman raced out to an early lead only to go cold and see Whitworth reverse its fortune. Murphy Caffo hit a pair of shots before Ale Efe Isik nailed a three ball and Whitman opened with the game's first seven points. The hot start did not continue as the Bucs answered with 16 unanswered points to go up by nine points with 12:48 to play in the half.
Xzavier Lino's bucket halted the run but Whitworth continued to lead after McDermott's basket pushed the lead back up to nine points. The Blues continued to struggle from the floor but began to heat up in the final five minutes. Aidan von Buchwaldt drained a corner three and, after a Buc turnover, Cline scored at the hoop to make it a 27-20 score with 4:01 to play. Cline later scored again to cut the lead to four but the Bucs responded to take an eight-point lead into the break.
The second half saw Whitman unable to make a dent in what was quickly a double-digit lead. Michael Smith pushed the Whitworth advantage up to 15 points but Deshpande responded with a straightaway three to return the deficit to 12 points. Inside of a minute to play, baskets by Grant Hunt and Cline cut the lead to 11, but that's as close as the Blues would get.
The Blues close their homestand this Friday, Jan. 10 when they host George Fox at 8:00 p.m.
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