by Vince Ghiringhelli, UPS Sports Info

TACOMA, Wash. - Coming off their first Northwest Conference win of the 2009-10 season against Willamette last week, the Puget Sound Loggers couldn't keep the momentum going as they fell to the 22nd-ranked Whitworth Pirates, 78-70, in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Friday at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.

After managing just 27 points on 30.8 percent first half shooting, the Loggers found themselves in a 14 point hole going in to halftime. The Loggers were 8-26 from the field and no player had scored more than six points at the intermission as Whitworth led, 41-27.

The two squads exchanged free throws for most of the second period as both teams reached the double bonus by the ten minute point. Puget Sound's shooting woes continued in the second half as Whitworth slowly built an 18 point advantage by the 10:45 remaining in regulation. They would finish the game shooting 33.9 percent on 19-56 from the field, including 4-20 from three point range.

The Loggers tried to mount a comeback in the closing minutes, narrowing the lead to five points with 41 seconds remaining. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time left to finish the job and Whitworth escaped from Memorial Fieldhouse with a regular season victory for the third straight year, winning 78-70.

Both teams struggled to move the ball throughout the game as the Pirates managed 10 assists with 20 turnovers to the Loggers eight assists and 18 turnovers. On top of the high turnover rate there were a combined 57 fouls called in the game, fouling out three Whitworth players and two for Puget Sound. Both teams shot 41 free throws apiece by the end of the night.

Whitworth was led by 18 points from David Riley and got 13 from Eric Beal, while Felix Friedt and Nate Montgomery both added 12. Montgomery, the Pirates dominant center, was hampered by foul trouble all night and collected only five rebounds.

The Loggers had five players score in double digits and were led by 15 from senior Colin Koach (Portland, Ore./Franklin) on a near perfect shooting night. Koach went 3-3 from the field and 9-10 from the line. Senior Austin Boyce (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) collected 13 points and eight rebounds, while sophomores Kaleb Shelton (Tacoma, Wash./Lincoln) and David Aberg (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt) scored 12 apiece. Senior Bryce Levin (Everett, Wash./Everett) finished with 10 points off the bench.

The Loggers finish a four game homestand tomorrow night when they take on the Whitman Missionaries at 4 p.m. in Memorial Fieldhouse.