Whits drain 16 3-pointers in win

Freshman George Valle scored a game-high 23 points and junior Dustin McConnell added a career-high seven assists Wednesday to lead Whitworth to a 90-75 nonconference men’s basketball win over Montana Tech at Butte.

Valle shot 9 for 12 from the floor and the Pirates (2-1) hit 16 of 27 3-pointers to pull away from the Orediggers (5-3).

The Pirates’ Mack Larkin and Colton McCargar hit four 3-pointers apiece. McCargar hit his 3-pointers in the first half to spark the Pirates to a 47-36 lead.

Women’s basketball

Natasha Hadley finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists while guiding UC Riverside (2-4) to a 71-65 nonconference win over Washington State at Riverside, Calif.

Tia Presley scored 22 points, shooting 10 of 15 from the field, and had 10 rebounds for the Cougars (2-4) before fouling out. WSU’s Mariah Cooks added 11 points in 8 minutes.

The Highlanders used an 11-0 run, hitting three 3-pointers, to take a 63-57 lead with 5 minutes left.

WSU held Tre’Shonti Nottingham, the nation’s leading scorer to 14 points.

Football

A suspended University of Montana football player pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge in exchange for a recommended deferred sentence.

KECI-TV reported that 20-year-old Trevor Poole of Spokane pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of dangerous drugs.

The offensive tackle was arrested in late October at a large Halloween party and suspended from the team. He acknowledged buying two pills of “molly”, a drug similar to ecstasy.

In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to recommend an 18-month deferred sentence that could lead to the conviction being removed from his record. Poole’s sentencing is set for January.