WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Whitman College men's basketball could not complete a second-half comeback on Senior Night, falling 68–58 to Lewis & Clark in the team's final regular-season home game Saturday at Sherwood Center.
The Blues (9–14, 4–10 NWC) honored their five seniors in a pregame ceremony, then watched that group help spark a late push that cut what had been a 22-point second-half deficit down to single digits in the closing minutes. After trailing 36–24 at the break, Whitman outscored the Pioneers 34–32 in the second half and found its rhythm behind the energy of its veterans and an attacking offense that got downhill and to the rim.
Jacob Fotu led Whitman with 15 points and nine in the second half, knocking down three three-pointers as the Blues tried to claw back. Aidan Rausch added 10 points and six rebounds, doing much of his damage after halftime as Whitman's defensive pressure and work on the glass turned into transition opportunities. Cooper Crawford and Marcel Elicagaray chipped in eight points apiece, with Crawford hitting a late three and Elicagaray providing key first-half scoring to keep the Blues within striking distance.
Lewis & Clark (12–11, 8–6 NWC) built its lead behind a hot shooting night, finishing 54.5 percent from the field and 61.0 percent in effective field goal percentage. Justin White paced the Pioneers with a game-high 16 points, while Donovan Beard and Kody Uyesugi combined for 18 points and timely threes that repeatedly answered Whitman's runs. Lewis & Clark used a 9–0 burst early in the second half to stretch the margin to 50–31 before Whitman's bench-led surge steadied the game.
The Blues refused to go away, using offensive rebounds and second-chance points to trim the deficit. Whitman finished with 10 second-chance points and 37 bench points, as a deep rotation continued to battle to the horn. The final minute featured a Crawford four-point burst and a buzzer-beating three from Aden Lepp to send him and the rest of the seniors off the Sherwood floor to a standing ovation.
Whitman now turns its attention to the final week of Northwest Conference play, closing the regular season on the road at Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran.
#GoWhitman
