Whitworth back at home
By the most visible measure – wins and losses – the Whitworth men had a successful non-conference season. The Pirates, who split two December Northwest Conference games in Oregon, were 6-3 in their non-conference contests, with only one of the nine in Spokane.
But Whitworth will return to NWC play tonight saddled with a two-game losing streak. The Pirates host Willamette University (6-4, 2-0) in the Whitworth Fieldhouse at 8 p.m. before Lewis and Clark College (4-6, 0-2) visits Saturday at 6 p.m.
All five Whitworth starters average double figures, led by guard Jon Young’s 15.3 points per game. Forward Lance Pecht (West Valley High) is next at 15.2. Point guard Bryan Williams (Mead) leads the NWC in assists at 5.8 per game, while center Kevin Hasenfus is the Bucs’ leading rebounder (7.2 per game).
The Whitworth women (6-4 overall, 0-2 in NWC play), face the same teams and are riding a three-game winning streak. Tonight’s game begins at 6, with Saturday’s starting at 4, thanks to an NWC decision to move up starting times for the Pirates and Whitman games two hours to ease travel demands.
Women’s basketball
Leilani Mitchell scored 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting Thursday as Idaho held off New Mexico State 59-50 in Las Cruces, N.M., in the Western Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
Mitchell, from Kennewick, also went 9 of 10 from the foul line and added seven steals as Idaho (5-7) held the Lobos (3-9) to 36 percent shooting on the night.
New Mexico was led by the 14 points of Irma Kmitaite.
Men’s soccer
North Idaho College captain Garga Caserta has been named National Junior College Athletic Association Division I All-American honorable mention, the school announced.
Caserta, a sophomore from Brazil, is the first Cardinals player selected to the team. He had 18 goals and seven assists as NIC (12-2-3) won its first Scenic West Athletic Conference title.
Football
The Spokane Shock have added wide receiver/linebacker Chris Stallworth and offensive/defensive lineman Neil Purvis to their arenafootball2 roster.
Stallworth, 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, has played for the Everett Hawks and Billings Mavericks of the National Indoor Football League.
Purvis, 6-3 and 270, was a four-year starter and three-time captain at Virginia State University (Petersburg, Va.). He had 65 tackles and seven sacks as a senior.
Golf
Deer Park Golf Club is open for play and will remain open, depending on the weather.
Call 276-5912 for any periodic frost delays.