WALLA WALLA, Wash. -
Carly Martin scored a game-high 15 points,
Korin Baker put up another double double with 13 points and 11 rebounds and the Whitman College women's basketball team took down Linfield 57-48 in Northwest Conference action on Saturday evening at the Sherwood Center.
The game was the home finale for the Blues who close the season on the road next weekend hoping to secure a spot in the following weekend's NWC Tournament.
Ella Koebelin scored a team-high 12 points for the Wildcats who were done in by a 55% to 41% three-point shooting disparity. Whitman also took advantage of 17 Linfield turnovers by turning them into 20 points, over one-third of its scoring output.
The Blues got on the board first on Christiane Carlisle's three ball, but the Wildcats hit from the floor on back-to-back possessions to take an early lead. Baker put the Blues back in front with a bucket but neither team was able to find the hoop for the next three-plus minutes. Carlisle broke the drought with her second three pointer, then drained her third inside of two minutes to play to help her team to a seven-point lead by quarter's end.
The game tightened up in the second quarter. Avery Neal drained a three pointer early in the period before Allison Mead answered for Linfield with a triple of her own. Koebelin later nailed her own three pointer to help shave the lead to one point at 23-22 with 3:08 to play. Martin and Koebelin traded three pointers inside of 40 seconds to play, but Martin got to the hoop for a buzzer-beating layup to put Whitman up five points at the break.
Linfield shaved the deficit again to one point early in the second half, but the Blues responded with a 10-0 run to take control. Martin and Carlisle both hit from distance and Whitman led 42-31 with 5:50 to play. Back-to-back Eva Burke jumpers halted the drought, but Whitman again responded with a Drango bucket and a Neal three pointer to go up 47-35 with just over three minutes to play in the period.
Whitman led by double digits most of the fourth quarter and won going away.
The Blues tipoff their final weekend of NWC play at Puget Sound this Friday, Feb. 16.
#GoWhitman
