By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Gavin Rippere (Jr., F, Vancouver, WA/Salinas HS/Clark College) scored 17 points and hauled down eight rebounds in just 16 minutes of action as Willamette University took on Whitworth University in Northwest Conference action on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Whitworth Fieldhouse. Despite Rippere's efforts and two other Bearcats in double figures, the Pirates won the game, 98-75.

It was the final game of the season for the Bearcats, who finished 5-19 overall and 1-15 in the NWC. Whitworth improved to 16-9, including 11-5 in the NWC.

Rippere hit 7 of 9 field goal attempts and set Willamette career highs for points and rebounds. He also registered two steals. Rippere transferred to Willamette from Clark College in Washington.

Also in double figures for Willamette were Ryder Hsiung (So., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) with 13 points and Josiah Frank (So., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) with 12 points. Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) scored nine points and was credited with six boards. In his career, Boydell has scored 1,070 points and grabbed 322 rebounds.

JT McDermott paced Whitworth by scoring 21 points and hitting 10 of 12 free throws. He also earned six rebounds and four steals. Jake Holtz tacked on 20 points and led all players with 11 rebounds. Holtz matched Rippere of Willamette with a 7-for-9 shooting effort. Sullivan Menard chipped in 16 points for the Pirates, while Ty Edwards scored 12 and Rowan Anderson added 11.

Willamette took a 5-0 lead with 17:48 left in the first half on a jumper by Frank and a 3-pointer by Hsiung. Whitworth scored the next six points ending with a 3-point basket from Menard to grab a 6-5 advantage. Each team added two points before Boydell sank a 3-pointer and Rippere added a turn-around jumper to give Willamette a 12-8 margin with 14:18 on the clock.

The Bearcats led by four points two more times at 16-12 on a layup by Rippere and at 18-14 on a jumper by Mitch Lind (Fy., G, Midway, UT/Wasatch HS). The Pirates answered with a 13-0 run to take a 27-18 lead with 8:26 to play in the first half. Whitworth's advantage reached 30-20 just under 40 seconds later, when Menard put through a 3-point shot. Willamette scored the next eight points to cut the margin to 30-28 on a basket by Rippere at the 5:41 mark.

Whitworth ended the first half with a 21-4 offensive surge to take a 51-32 lead at the break. McDermott led all scorers with 15 points at halftime, while Holtz had 14 points and Menard had 13.

A 18-8 run by the Pirates to start the second half expanded Whitworth's margin to 69-40 with 15:52 to go. The Pirates held a comfortable lead for the remainder of the game, but the Pirates held a slim 47-43 scoring edge in the second half.

Willamette shot 41.7% (26 of 60) for the game and hit 5 of 28 shots (17.9%) from 3-point range. Whitworth connected on 47.8% of its field goals (32 of 67) and made 12 of 27 three-point attempts (44.4%). Willamette sank 20 of 24 free throws for 83.3% and the Pirates hit 22 of 27 free throws (81.5%).