TACOMA, Wash. – Despite a strong second half, the University of Puget Sound men's basketball team fell 70-62 to Whitman on Saturday. The Loggers (8-13, 5-7 NWC) outscored the Missionaries (15-6, 8-4 NWC) 41-37 in the second half but could erase a 12-point halftime deficit.

Kaleb Shelton tallied his sixth double-double of the season to lead the Loggers. He finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Ryan Rogers led the team with 18 points. All of Rogers points came on three-pointers, as he shot 6-of-11 from three-point range.

The Loggers shot 36.7 percent and 46.9 percent in the second half while holding the Missionaries to 29.8 percent shooting in the game and 28 percent in the second half. However, the Missionaries were 31-of-35 from the charity stripe to gain the advantage in the game.

"I never thought we would hold a team to under-30 percent and lose a game," said head coach Justin Lunt. "But we can't have any excuses. (Whitman) did a good job. They made the plays at the end and we didn't."

Whitman held as much as a 17-point advantage in the second halfthanks to four Missionaries scoring in double digits. Josh Duckworth led the team with 15 points. The Loggers refused to go away and cut the lead to four points at two different junctures in the second half although they could not completely erase it.

Next up, the Loggers will prepare for a rivalry matchup with Pacific Lutheran on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Memorial Fieldhouse.