January 31, 2010 in Sports

Gregg gives Whits lift

Pirates run winning streak to 16 games

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Bo Gregg had a career game at the Whitworth Fieldhouse on Saturday night, but no one needed to tell him he didn’t accomplish it on his own.

Starting for just the fourth time this season, Gregg netted personal bests with seven 3-pointers and 22 points, and Whitworth’s dominating run continued with a 85-63 victory over Lewis & Clark in a Northwest Conference basketball game.

The Pirates’ 16-game winning streak is the second longest nationally in Division III, behind only the 18-game run of William Paterson University in New Jersey.

Whitworth improved to 17-2 overall and 10-0 in the NWC. The Pioneers are 6-12, 5-5.

L&C pressured the Pirates for the first 20 minutes, but Gregg erupted for 13 points after halftime as the Pirates took control. It was no coincidence that Gregg’s spurt coincided with teammate Nate Montgomery finding success in the post. Montgomery added 21 points and nine rebounds.

“They couldn’t do anything to stop him,” Gregg said. “That opened things up from the perimeter and the midrange game.”

Montgomery scored eight points in the first 41/2 minutes of the second half as Whitworth extended a five-point halftime lead lead to 52-41. Gregg then cemented the win with a trio of 3-pointers to push the advantage to 65-46 with 10:25 left.

Gregg has played in 19 games as one of coach Jim Hayford’s first options off the bench, but Gregg said returning to the starting lineup was a comfortable transition.

“I’m fine coming off the bench,” Gregg said. “You’re able to see the game and the speed of the game. … Coach was looking for me to score, so I went in and looked for my shot. I had it going.”

Whitworth employed a zone defense in the first half and baited the Pioneers into a woeful night beyond the arc. L&C, which entered the game with 456 3-pointers attempted, made just 2 of 16 in the first half and finished the game 7 for 32.

“You look at their ratio of 3s to 2s, and they love to shoot it from the outside,” Hayford said. “We felt like we could get them to shoot a lower percentage from the 3-point line. Maybe we were right.”

David Riley knocked down four 3-pointers and scored 20 points for Whitworth, which shot 51 percent from the field (31 for 61).

LC enjoyed a favorable disparity at the foul line to keep the game close in the first half.

James Hollins and Kelly Edwards scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, for the Pioneers.

Whitworth 85, Lewis & Clark 63

 Lewis & Clark (6-12, 5-5)- Meeuwsen 0-1 0-0 0, Taylor 3-9 0-0 9, Kollasch 1-8 4-6 7, Hollins 5-15 7-9 18, Edwards 6-16 6-9 19, Robinson 0-0 0-2 0, Pisapia 1-3 0-0 2, Avery 1-1 0-0 2, Brickley 1-4 2-3, McCullough 0-1 1-4 1. Totals 18-58 20-33 63.

Whitworth (17-2, 10-0)- Gregg 7-12 1-2 22, Riley 8-10 0-0 20, Friedt 1-2 0-0 2, Montgomery 8-12 4-4, Beal 3-7 0-2 6, Iddins 0-0 0-0 0, W. Gebbers 2-5 2-2 7, Ramey 1-2 0-0 2, C. Gebbers 0-1 2-2 2, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Odland 0-0 0-0 0, Larkin 0-0 0-0 0, Loofburrow 1-9 0-0 3. Totals 31-61 9-12 85.

Halftime—Whitworth 41, Lewis & Clark 36. 3-Point Goals—Lewis & Clark 7-32 (Meeuwsen 0-1, Taylor 3-8, Kollasch 1-6, Hollins 1-7, Edwards 1-4, Pisapia 0-2, Brickley 1-4) Whitworth 14-32 (Gregg 7-11, Riley 4-6, Montgomery 1-1, Beal 0-4, W. Gebbers 1-4, Ramey 0-1, C. Gebbers 0-1, Loofburrow 1-4). Fouled Out—Gregg. Rebounds—Lewis & Clark 35 (Hollins 9), Whitworth 46 (Riley 9, Montgomery 9). Assists—Lewis & Clark 8 (Kollasch 3), Whitworth 22 (Beal 9). Total Fouls—Lewis & Clark 17, Whitworth 27. A—1045.

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