PORTLAND, Ore. -- For the second time this season, the top-ranked team in the country visited Pamplin Sports Center, although on Saturday night it was a more familiar foe. The Lewis & Clark Pioneers hosted the No. 1 Whitworth Pirates in a Northwest Conference game that went to the wire in an 89-80 loss for the Pios.

Neither team led in the game by more than seven points until the final 2:30. Lewis & Clark held a four-point margin with 6:58 remaining after Jason Luhnow and Alex Jones made 3-pointers about a minute apart, putting the Pios up 70-66. As it had been all night, the other team answered, with Kenny Love making a three of his own 12 seconds later, brining the Pirates back within one, 70-69.

With the game tied 74-74, Love made another from long range, his second of three total in the second half, to shift the lead back to Whitworth. Although, there were 19 lead changes and eight ties overall, the Pirates never relinquished the lead with 3:21 remaining.

"We were within a few plays," said junior Cannen Roberson. "They made a few plays in the last few minutes and we kind of didn't at the very end. That was a really good challenge, and we put up a really good fight, but they're number one for a reason too."

Four of Lewis & Clark's starting five scored in double figures, with Markel Leonard, Roberson and Jones putting in 16 points apiece, followed by 13 from Luhnow. Carl Appleton had nine points, as the starters averaged 28 minutes played in the game.

George Valle led all scorers with 28 points for Whitworth, followed by 19 points from Love and 13 by Drew Sears. Love had 15 points in the second half.

Whitworth started to pull away in the first half after Valle made a layup with 7:43 to go, but Jones kept the Pios close with 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, and the Pios were within five, 29-24, with 5:53 to go until half.

Half a minute later, Leonard started a streak of eight straight points, starting with a layup and a free throw on the next possession, before hitting a 3-pointer and a lay-in in less than a minute to close Lewis & Clark to a 33-32 deficit.

"He's a really good player, great point guard," said Roberson. "He's always in attack mode and getting to the rim and finding other guys."

Jones' hit another 3-pointer with 2:14 remaining, his third of the half, and the Pioneers led 35-33. Whitworth closed out the half with the lead, however, after baskets by Sears and Kyle Roach. Matt Staudacher also added two free throws. Lewis & Clark's Jonathan Boddie scored a three-point play for the half's final points, and the Pios trailed 39-38 at the break.

Lewis & Clark has lost both match-ups with Whitworth this season after the two teams met in last year's NWC tournament championship game.

Following Saturday's game, the Pioneers are in a four-way tie for sixth place in the NWC. The top four teams at the end of the season earn a berth in the NWC tournament, which Lewis & Clark has qualified for each of the last six seasons. Pacific Lutheran is currently in the fourth spot, and the Pioneers have defeated the Lutes already this year.

"We have to take it one game at a time, and try to win six in a row, and we have four home games," said Roberson. "It'll be a challenge, but I definitely think we're up to it."

The first of Lewis & Clark's four remaining home games is Friday at 6 p.m. when the Pioneers host third-place Puget Sound at 8 p.m.

Other Northwest Conference Scores - Saturday

Pacific 92, Willamette 81
Whitman 82, Linfield 55
Puget Sound 87, George Fox 65