LOGGERS STOPPED IN NWC TITLE GAME
SPOKANE, Wash. - For the second time in three seasons, the Puget Sound Loggers made an appearance in the Northwest Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game. Unfortunately for the Loggers, this appearance ended in a loss as the Puget Sound Loggers fell to the Whitworth Pirates, 96-69, on Saturday night at Whitworth Fieldhouse in Spokane.
In the first half, Jason Foster (Tacoma, Wash./Foss) hit a three-pointer 1:20 into the game to give the Loggers a 3-0 lead before the Pirates scored their way to a 10-point lead with 13:41 remaining. UPS retook the lead on a layup by Weston Wood (Spokane, Wash./Riverside) with 2:34 remaining but the Pirates finished the first half on a 9-0 run to take a 41-34 lead into the break.
In the second half, the Pirates quickly pulled ahead, building a 21-point lead with 11:32 remaining. The Loggers briefly got the deficit below 20 but the Pirates continued to hit whatever they put up to earn the 96-69 victory. The Loggers shot just 26.3% in the second half, making 10-of-38 attempts, including just one-of-16 behind the arc.
The Loggers were led by 19 points from junior Antwan Williams (Portland, Ore./Madison). Taylor Marsh (Lynnwood, Wash./Meadowdale) added 18 while Robert Krauel (Phoenix, Ariz./North Canyon) chipped in 12 points. Foster finished the night with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Whitworth was led by 33 points from NWC Player of the Year Ryan Symes. David Riley added 18 points while Calvin Jurich recorded the double-double with 17 points and 10 boards. The Pirates made 47.4% from behind the arc, sinking nine-of-19 attempts.
With the win, the Pirates earned the NWC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Loggers are a longshot for an at-large bid to the tournament and will find out for sure when the bracket is released on Monday morning.
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