WALLA WALLA, Wash. -
Korin Baker delivered another double double with 10 points and 12 rebounds,
Natalie Lundberg corralled a career-high 13 rebounds to go along with four steals and the Whitman College women's basketball team grinded out a 40-35 win over Pacific Lutheran in Northwest Conference action on Saturday night at the Sherwood Center.
In the lowest combined point total of the season, the Blues (12-6, 8-2 NWC) held the Lutes to under 30% shooting and into 20 turnovers. Whitman had its own shooting woes (27%) but protected the ball a bit better with only 14 turnovers.Â
Ava Edmonds led PLU (1-18, 1-9 NWC) with 12 points and nine rebounds and Stacie Spahr added six points and seven rebounds.
Carly Martin provided the early scoring for the Blues, hitting three pointers on her first two shots to put Whitman up. Baker then got it going, scoring on a feed from Elena McHargue then scoring on a put-back off a Lundberg missed three-point attempt. Baker later scored again to put the Blues up 13-7 but Spahr's turnaround jumper as time expired made it a four-point game at the end of the first quarter.
The Blues looked sharp to open the second quarter. Lindsey Drango nailed a corner three and McHargue scored on a fast break layup to give Whitman an 18-9 lead only 22 seconds into the period. The Blues would score only once more before halftime on a McHargue jumper with 6:25 to play. Meanwhile, the Lutes capitalized with a 13-2 run and took a 22-20 lead into the break.
The third quarter saw the Blues turn up the defensive intensity and allow only a single basket by the Lutes. Though still a low scoring affair, Whitman outscored PLU 10-2 in the period to take a 30-24 lead into the fourth quarter. Nearly half the period went by before either team scored, but Baker completed an and-one three-point play and, fittingly, Emmie Ogden closed the period with a block on a Kasidy Javernick three-point attempt.
Kara Marecle extended the lead to eight points early in the fourth, but the Blues were unable to pull away. An Edmonds layup inside of five minutes to play cut the lead to four, then Ashley Akamine scored at the hoop to bring the score to 37-34 with 2:50 to play. That would be the final hoop of the game for PLU as the defense prevailed and the Blues walked away with the win.
Next up for the Blues is a visit to Lewis & Clark on Friday, Feb. 3. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.
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