Whitworth women nip Linfield

Lexi Belcher scored 18 points and Kayla Johnson grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Whitworth to a 75-73 win over Linfield on Saturday, the Pirates’ second straight two-point win.

The Pirates’ Emily Guthrie added 10, including two crucial free throws with 10 seconds left, to offset a 35-point night from the Wildcats’ Gretchen Owens.

The win improved the Pirates’ record to 7-8 overall and 3-3 in the Northwest Conference. Linfield fell to 8-7, 2-4. Whitworth plays host to Whitman at 6 Tuesday night.

Whitworth came out on top even as Belcher sat for most of the second half with four fouls. She gave the Pirates the lead for good at 71-70 on two free throws.

• Eastern Washington rallied in the latter part of the second half, but the Eagles’ comeback attempt fell short in a 56-53 loss to Northern Colorado in Big Sky Conference action at Reese Court in Cheney.

Down by 11 with more than 12 minutes left, Eastern Washington stormed back to tie the game. But the Aggies (11-7, 3-2) regained control in the final 5 minutes and held on for the win.

Chene Cooper had 15 points, five rebounds and three assists and Brianne Ryan added 12 points and six boards for EWU.

The Eagles (10-9, 4-2) begin a three-game road trip at Portland on Saturday.

• New Mexico State used a 15-2 second-half run and stormed past Idaho 61-47 in Western Athletic Conference play in Las Cruces, N.M.

The Vandals’ Alyssa Charlston posted her second straight double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Krissy Carr added 13 points for Idaho.

The Aggies (4-13, 1-1) had three players reach double digits in points, led by Kaitlyn Soto with 14.

Next up for Idaho (5-13, 0-2) is a game at home against Nevada on Thursday.

• Simone Jordan scored a game-high 21 points and Yakima Valley (12-4, 2-1) beat Community Colleges of Spokane 64-44 in NWAACC play at Spokane Community College.

Laikyn Brophy shot 8 of 14 from the field and finished with 17 points and seven rebounds for the Sasquatch (5-10, 0-3).

CCS is back in action Friday at Treasure Valley.

• Katie Buskey scored 16 points to lead North Idaho (14-2, 3-0) to a 67-66 Scenic West Conference win over Southern Idaho (9-8, 2-2) in Coeur d’Alene.

Korina Baker had 15 points and four assists and Angela Woods added 11 points for the Cardinals, who made 15 of 28 shots in the second half.

Southern Idaho had four players reach double digits in points, led by Taylor Gipson, who scored 20.