BOX SCORE l Game Highlights
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Lewis & Clark men's basketball team remains in a two-way tie for second place in the Northwest Conference after taking down play-off contenders Pacific Lutheran on Saturday night in the Pamplin Sports Center 78-67.
The Pioneers are now 17-6 on the season and 10-4 in conference action. The Whitman Missionaries, who are tied with the Pioneers for second in the NWC, have the same record as the Pios. The Lutes fall to 13-9 overall and 8-6 in the NWC.
Senior Kelly Edwards ended the night with a game-high 24 points and 11 boards for the games only double-double. Edwards was 9-of-14 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Donato Perconti finished in double figures for the Pios with 15 points, while pulling down six boards. Junior PJ Taylor contributed 13 points and a game-high five assists and teammates Kyle Meeuwsen and Marcus Wells each chipped in 11 points.
Cameron Schilling led all the Lute players with 17 points. Andrew Earnest ended the game with 15 points for PLU and Curtis Trondsen scored 12 in the loss.
The first half was a tight back and forth battle with the two sides swapping the lead two times and tying things up on five occasions. The Pioneers headed into the locker room with a 34-30 lead.
The second half also began as a back and forth with the Lutes fighting with all they had to try and pick up the victory. A Lute victory would have earned the team its first NWC play-off birth since the 1997-98 season. The Pioneers, who are fighting for the No. 2 seed in the tournament, had other plans. Lewis & Clark took a two point, 61-59, lead on a Edwards jumper with 5:31 to play. The basket by Edwards kick started the Pio offense, who went on to earn their largest lead of the contest 30 seconds to play, earning a 76-63 lead. The Lutes would be unable to come back despite several attempts, as the Pios cruised to a 78-67 victory.
The Pioneers return to action on Friday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. for their final regular season home game as they host the Puget Sound Loggers.
