Whitman Basketball Teams Look to Solidify NWC Playoff Spots

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Both Whitman College basketball teams return to western Oregon this weekend with a chance to solidify playoff spots as the Northwest Conference season nears the make-or-break stage.

The Missionaries play Friday at Pacific (Forest Grove) and Saturday at Linfield (McMinnville).

The Friday women's game starts at 6 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 8 p.m. For both games, fans can follow the action online via live courtside stats and/or a live audio feed.

On Saturday, the women start at 4 p.m. with the men to follow at 6 p.m. Fans can listen to a live audio feed of both Linfield games.

Women's Playoff Picture

The Whitman women, after completing season sweeps of the two Tacoma schools (Puget Sound, Pacific Lutheran) last weekend, are in third place in the NWC standings with an 8-4 record (12-9 overall).

With four games left in the regular season, George Fox (12-0 NWC, 21-0) and Lewis & Clark (10-2 NWC, 19-2) are close to locking down the top two spots, which means they would host first-round playoff games.

The NWC playoff format is simple enough: No. 1 hosts No. 4 while No. 2 hosts No. 3. Winners then face each other for the NWC's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III national championship field.

At the moment, Puget Sound (8-5 NWC, 12-10) and Whitworth (5-7 NWC, 9-12) sit in the fourth and fifth spots.

Puget Sound got its week off to an early start Tuesday night, when it posted a 64-50 victory over Pacific Lutheran (4-9 NWC, 7-15). The Loggers face a tougher challenge on Friday when they welcome undefeated George Fox to Tacoma.

Depending on how Puget Sound fares Friday, Whitman might have the chance to lock down the No. 3 playoff seed later this week.

Regardless of what Puget Sound does, Whitman can clinch one of the last two playoff spots with victories this weekend at Pacific and Linfield. Whitworth plays the same two teams (on alternating nights) and needs two wins to keep its playoff hopes alive.

Earlier this season in Walla Walla, Whitman notched a 62-52 victory over Linfield and beat Pacific 65-48. Linfield and Pacific head to the weekend in a three-way tie (with Pacific Lutheran) for sixth place with 4-8 conference records.

After this weekend, the Whitman women complete the regular season next week when they host Whitworth on Tuesday and Willamette on Friday. Willamette at the moment is 0-12 in the NWC and 1-21 overall.

For Puget Sound to overtake Whitman for the third seed in the playoff format, the Loggers need to finish a game ahead of the Missionaries. A tie between the two schools favors Whitman by virtue of its two victories over Puget Sound this season.

Whitman's home-and-away sweep of both Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran marks the first time the Missionary women have ever swept the two Tacoma schools in the same season. Puget Sound joined the NWC for the 1996-97 season.

Men's Playoff Picture

The Whitman men, now 8-4 in the NWC and 15-6 overall, started the week in a three-way tie for second place with Puget Sound and George Fox.

That playoff picture changed just a bit Tuesday night when Puget Sound notched a 66-52 victory over Pacific Lutheran in Tacoma. The win boosted the Loggers into second place in the conference at 9-4 (17-5 overall) while dropping Pacific Lutheran to 7-6 on the NWC and 10-12 on the season.

With four games left in its regular season, Whitworth (11-1 NWC, 18-3) is close to wrapping up the No. 1 seed for the four-team conference playoffs.

Whitman continues its playoff pursuit with games Friday at Pacific (3-9 NWC, 9-12) and Saturday at Linfield (2-10 NWC, 4-18). Earlier this season in Walla Walla, Whitman outscored Pacific 81-66 and edged Linfield 67-65.

Puget Sound finishes its week on Friday when it welcomes George Fox (8-4 NWC, 11-10) to Tacoma for a critical game. In this season's first meeting between the two schools, George Fox defended its home floor with an 86-80 victory over the Loggers.

On Saturday, George Fox plays at Willamette (2-11 NWC, 4-18) while Pacific Lutheran finishes its week at Lewis & Clark (6-7 NWC, 11-11).

After this weekend, the Whitman men finish the regular season when they host Whitworth on Tuesday and Willamette on Friday. Whitman handed Whitworth its only NWC loss of the season last month in Spokane.

The NWC first-round playoff format has the No. 1 seed hosting No. 4 with No. 2 hosting No. 3. Winners then face each other for the NWC's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III national championship field.

- 30 -

CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu