PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Lewis & Clark Pioneers seemed close to their third victory of the season, but a cold streak in the game's fourth quarter helped the Whitworth Pirates outscore the Pios 16-2 en route to a 55-52 victory on Saturday evening at Pamplin Sports Center.

Lewis & Clark took a 37-25 lead in the early second half, and eventually led 50-39 before Whitworth started its run. Meanwhile, the Pioneers made just 2 of 12 from 3-point range in the second half after scoring 3 of 8 in the opening period.

In the fourth quarter alone, the Pioneers were limited to 1 of 16 shooting, with Alyx Crager making the team's only field goal, a 3-pointer in the period's first 90 seconds. After that, Lewis & Clark only scored on a pair of Ayisat Afolabi free throws, moving the Pios ahead 52-45 with 6:05 remaining.

Two possessions later, KC McConnell scored a layup to bring Whitworth within five points. The Pirates weren't without their struggles shooting in the final quarter, as Whitworth missed nine of its final 11 shots from the floor in the game. Aside from a Chloe Quinnett score with just under four minutes left, McConnell's four free throws, the first two of which gave Whitworth the lead back with 22 seconds left, were enough to carry the Pirates to the win. She finished with a game-high 21 points.

In between McConnell's trips to the line, the Pios missed four shots, including a sequence with 16 seconds remaining where Miyah Leith's scoop shot was rebounded by Afolabi, who missed the putback before Kaitlin Mathewson did likewise.

The Pios have now lost 10 games this season when possessing a halftime lead. After the first two quarters on Saturday, Lewis & Clark led Whitworth 34-29.

Alyx Crager scored 11 points to lead Lewis & Clark, the freshman's third double-digit scoring performance since debuting in the lineup on Jan. 8. Mathewson and Sara Hogman followed with nine points apiece, and Leith and Afolabi added eight each. Natalie Kelly went 1 of 7 from the field for seven points, making all four of her free throws.

Leith failed to score 10 or more points in back-to-back games for just the second time all season. Prior to Jan. 15, Leith had scored in double figures in 13 of her first 14 games.

Whitworth won the rebounding battle 46-30, including a margin of 19-11 in offensive boards, leading to 16 second chance points, while the Pios scored four. Lewis & Clark committed one fewer turnover, 12-11, but the Pirates outscored the Pios 17-10 in points off turnovers.

Lewis & Clark's homestand continues on Friday with the Pioneers hosting Puget Sound at 6 p.m. Earlier this month, the Pios lost 75-56 to the Loggers in Tacoma. Of its remaining six games, Lewis & Clark plays four at home.

Other Northwest Conference Scores - Saturday

George Fox 78, Puget Sound 72
Whitman 61, Linfield 56
Pacific 59, Willamette 57