SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Lewis & Clark Pioneers held the lead amid five ties in the first four minutes of Saturday's 86-60 loss to No. 22 Whitworth Pirates at Whitworth Fieldhouse. A 16-0 run by the Pirates shifted the outcome.

After taking a two-point lead, the Pioneers went on a scoring drought of over six minutes that lasted until the midway point of the opening half. Whitworth eventually led by 28 points late in the second half.

Zeke Crawford scored nine points to surpass 800 for his career. Matt Brown led the Pios with 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.

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Key Moments

The teams exchanged scores throughout the first four minutes of the game. Christian Pitcher hit a 3-pointer and Brian Smith scored a layup to go with baskets from Crawford and Brown to put the Pios ahead 13-11 with 15:33 remaining in the first. 

Then the drought began for the Pios.

The Northwest Conference's leading scorer, Ben College had 20 of his game-high 25 points in the first half. Lewis & Clark was 45 percent from the field in the first half, but hit just 29 percent in the final 20 minutes. Five different Pios led the team with five points apiece in the second half.

Lewis & Clark (5-8, 1-3 NWC) held the eighth-best shooting team in the country below their average. Coming into Saturday, Whitworth (10-3, 4-0 NWC) had shot 51 percent from the field, but shot 43 percent against the Pioneers. The Pirates did pull down a season-best 18 offensive rebounds and won the second-change points battle 19-6. 

Deeper Look

• For the sixth time in his last seven games, Brown had at least three assists, and for the fifth time over that stretch, scored in double digits
• Jack Henderson added eight points in 14 minutes off the bench
• James Hodge-Green was two off his career high with five points thanks to his career best at the free-throw line (3 for 5), and Lewis & Clark was one off its season best with 17 made free throws overall
• The Pirates shot 21 of 27 from the line, both a season high in made free throws and percentage by a Pios opponent this season
• Ryan Cibull added five points with an assist in 23 minutes
• JT McDermott had 14 points as one of four Whitworth scorers in double figures
• Lewis & Clark's nine offensive rebounds are its fewest since Nov. 30; the Pios are the fourth-best offensive rebounding team in the conference

Looking Ahead

Lewis & Clark plays at Linfield on Friday before hosting Puget Sound on Jan. 18 next week.