Women’s Basketball Wollaps Pacific Lutheran

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Whitman College women’s basketball team put together one of its most complete efforts of the season Friday night, rolling past Pacific Lutheran 89-50 in Northwest Conference play at the Sherwood Center.​

The Blues (10-6, 5-2 NWC) set the tone from the opening tip, racing out to a 26-13 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Whitman’s defense forced 25 turnovers and turned them into 32 points on the other end, fueling a transition attack that kept the Lutes (1-15, 0-7 NWC) on their heels all night.​

Sophomore post Emma Lena Baker powered Whitman with game highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds, going 8-for-15 from the field while controlling the glass on both ends. She scored 12 of her points in the first half as the Blues built a 51-29 advantage at the break and stretched the margin to 70-39 after three quarters.​

Whitman’s balance was just as important as Baker’s double-double. Morgan Montgomery poured in 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including a pair of threes, while Holly Morgan added 13 points and a team-high three steals off the bench to help Whitman’s reserves outscore PLU’s bench 24-12. 

Kaella Peters chipped in 14 points, knocking down four triples as the Blues finished 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from beyond the arc.​

The Blues also dominated the paint, outscoring Pacific Lutheran 48-24 inside and holding a 33-22 edge on the boards. Whitman shot 56.9 percent from the floor overall and assisted on 17 of its 37 made field goals, showcasing crisp ball movement and unselfish play.​

Emi Wada led Pacific Lutheran with 14 points, while Sydney Reisner finished with 11. 

The Blues get back at it on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. with a NWC contest against Puget Sound. 

#GoWhitman

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