Spokane, Wash. – Lewis & Clark erased a 20-point deficit and forced two overtimes, before securing their first conference win of the season in a back-and-forth 93-90 win over host Whitworth University. 
 
THE BASICS
Lewis & Clark 93, Whitworth 90 
(Lewis & Clark 2-10, 1-2 NWC)
(Whitworth 4-8, 1-2 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior Karli Mukai played a huge part in the victory. The Pios point guard went off for a program-record 38 points in the win, including 11 of Lewis & Clark's 22 points in overtime.
 
The Pioneers faced their biggest deficit, 46-26, with 9:28 left in the third quarter. Less than five minutes later, Lewis & Clark was down 48-42 thanks to a 16-2 run. Mukai scored ten of her 38 points during the run. The Pirates pushed their lead back to 61-48 by the end of the third quarter.
 
The Pios were down 63-50 heading into the fourth-quarter media timeout. Senior Gabby Beltran, playing in her first game of the season, provided the spark the Pios needed to complete their comeback. Natalie Elstone, a junior, found Beltran in the paint for two right out of the timeout. Over the final 5:30 of regulation, Lewis & Clark chipped away at the Pirates' lead. Elstone zipped a pass to Mukai, who hit a shot from beyond the arc to pull within 67-64 with 2:08 left in the fourth.
 
Sophomore Piper Curry hit a three-point shot off a pass from freshman Tatiana Rebanal with 30 seconds left to cut the Pirate lead to 70-69. The Pios committed three quick fouls to force the Pirates to the free-throw line. Whitworth's leading scorer, Olivia Mayer, hit the first free throw and missed the second. Pioneer senior Kendal Jones grabbed the defensive rebound, and head coach Ann Dorris immediately called a timeout. With nine seconds left, Mukai hit Curry on the baseline, who drove to the basket, made the layup, and drew the foul with 4.5 seconds left in regulation. Curry missed the free throw, but the Pirates missed a long shot to send the game to overtime.
 
The first overtime period saw a combined ten points between the two teams. Mukai tied the game again at 76 with 1:30 left. Neither team would score again. The Pirates took their final lead of the game, 83-81, with 2:42 left in the second overtime. Mukai took over from there. She tied the game again on the next possession with a driving layup and scored the Pios next nine points and ten of the team's final twelve points to secure the first road win of the season.

Mukai's career-high 38 points broke the record 37 points scored by Katie Anderson against Lewis-Clark State on October 22, 2013. Her career-best 15 field goals and 38 points are the most by an NWC player this season. Mukai's record game included a career-best six made three-pointers.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Curry, Elstone, and senior Charlotte Carroll each joined Mukai in double-figures. Curry finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. Elstone posted 12 points and four rebounds, while Carroll registered 10 points and seven rebounds.
• The win marked the Pioneers' first road win over the Pirates since 2017-18 and just their second win in the last seven meetings.
• Seven Pioneers scored at least three points in the win.
• Freshman Emily Newton scored a career-high eight points, all in the first half.
• Elstone shot a perfect 10-10 from the charity stripe and led all players with a career-high seven assists.
• Jones had a career-best three steals against the Pirates.
• The 93 points scored is the highest total for the Pioneers during coach Dorris' two seasons. Lewis & Clark last recorded 93 points in a game over six years ago, when they toppled Pacific Lutheran University 93-47 on December 2, 2016.

 
WHO'S NEXT
The Pios are aiming for their second consecutive win as they travel to defending NWC champion Whitman for a 4 p.m. tipoff Saturday.