Pacific Lutheran PacL 11-14,5-11 NWC

Whitman Whitm 10-15,5-11 NWC

Pacific Lutheran PacL

11-14,5-11 NWC

Final

Feb. 21, 2026

Whitman Whitm

10-15,5-11 NWC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Pacific Lutheran PacL	28	42	70
Whitman Whitm	31	48	79

Summary
Box Score

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 2/21/2026 7:57:00 PM

Men's Basketball Takes Down PLU In Season Finale

TACOMA, Wash. — The Whitman College men's basketball team capped its 2025-26 season with a confident road performance Saturday night, knocking off Pacific Lutheran 79-70 in Northwest Conference play at Olson Gymnasium.

Marcel Elicagaray was electric from start to finish, pouring in a game- and career-high 23 points to lead the Blues. Elicagaray shot 7-for-10 from the field, drilled five three-pointers and went 4-for-6 at the foul line, repeatedly punishing the Lutes for even the smallest defensive breakdowns. He scored 12 of his points after halftime, including back-to-back threes early in the second half that helped Whitman build its largest lead at 69-54 with just over five minutes remaining.

Jacob Fotu gave Whitman a powerful inside presence, finishing with 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds while shooting 8-for-11 from the floor. Djordje Lazarevic added 13 points, including a clutch three-pointer and two free throws in the closing minutes as Pacific Lutheran tried to claw back. Julian Witt chipped in 14 points off the wing, knocking down a pair of threes and sparking several key runs with his energy on both ends.

Whitman trailed 20-14 midway through the first half before tightening the screws defensively and closing the period on a 17-8 surge to take a 31-28 advantage into the locker room. The Blues shot 41.7 percent in the opening 20 minutes, then caught fire after the break, hitting 64.3 percent of their second-half attempts and finishing at 53.8 percent overall, including 11-for-23 from beyond the arc.

Pacific Lutheran stayed in it behind 20 points from guard Ben Tellez and 14 from Henry Smith, and the Lutes twice trimmed the margin to single digits in the final three minutes. Each time, Whitman had the answer, with Elicagaray drilling a dagger three from the right wing for a 74-64 cushion at the 2:56 mark and Fotu converting inside to keep the hosts at arm's length.

Whitman closed with a 32-26 edge on the glass and turned 14 Pacific Lutheran turnovers into 17 points, showcasing the balance and poise that defined its stretch run. The Blues finish the season 10-15 overall and 5-11 in Northwest Conference play, while Pacific Lutheran ends at 11-14, 5-11 in league action.

#GoWhitman

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