Bucs Rock Naia Boat, Throw Cats Overboard

When Whitworth figured out how to stop 6-foot-1 post Eva Hostmeyer, the Pirates figured out how to stop Culver-Stockton of Missouri.

Pirates post Sherri Northington held Hostmeyer to two second-half points and unseeded Whitworth was able to survive a 14-point run midway through the second half to upset the fourteenth-seeded Wildcats in the first round of the NAIA Division II Women’s National Basketball Championships Thursday night.

“We got more help on the post and got a little more comfortable with how to defend her,” Pirates coach Helen Higgs said.

Hostmeyer ripped the Bucs for 14 of the Wildcats’ 29 first-half points.

“The whole team played hard defensively,” Higgs said. “We had some palyers in foul trouble and did a good job of playing through it with our starters on the bench.”

Despite trailing 51-33 with 12 minutes remaining, the Wildcats did not fold. Instead, they ran off 14 straight points over a 3-minute span to pull within four.

The Wildcats made another run at the Pirates, cutting the lead to 58-57 with 2:33 left.

But Annette Sweeney made a 3-pointer and Jennifer Tissue hit from just inside the 3-point arch to stop the rally.

Whitworth battles (19-11) No. 3 seed Mount Mercy (29-5) from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at 5:45 tonight.