Whitworth, ranked as high as 19th, improved to 9-0 and went undefeated in non-conference play for the first time ever. The visiting Cobbers fell to 4-3, playing their sixth game away from home.
The Pirates were led by D3hoops.com preseason First Team All-American Tiffany Speer, who scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Sarah Shogren, a D3hoops.com preseason Third Team All-American, posted her second double-double of the classic with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Shogren was named the tournament's MVP and Speer was named to the all-tournament team. Dani Bielec added 12 points for the Bucs.
Mandy Pearson, also a D3hoops.com preseason Third Team All-American, led Concordia with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Melanie Hageman scored 11 points for the second straight night. Both Cobber players were named to the all-tournament team.
Both teams played tough, physical defense. Whitworth forced 22 Cobber turnovers and held Concordia to 39.7% shooting from the field. Concordia forced 20 Pirate turnovers and held Whitworth to 36.8% from the floor.
The first half was very close. There were nine lead changes and six ties. Two free throws by Speer with two seconds to play in the half knotted the score at 32-32 at the break.
But Pearson opened the second half with a three-pointer and Concordia took a lead it would not relinquish for the next 15 minutes. The Cobbers led by as many as eight points (53-45) when Leanne White converted a layup with just under nine minutes to play.
After Hageman converted a three point play to give Concordia a 56-51 lead with 5:46 left, Bielec sparked a 9-0 Pirate run with a three-pointer on the next Whitworth possession. Whitworth took the lead on two Bielec free throws with 3:55 to go and never trailed again.
Both teams head into conference play next week. Concordia will play its fifth consecutive MIAC road game at Carleton on Wednesday. Whitworth will open NWC action by hosting Linfield on Friday.
WHITWORTH 63, CONCORDIA-M'HEAD 60 CONCORDIA-M'HEAD (4-3) Mandy Pearson 7-17 2-3 18; Melanie Hageman 5-6 1-1 11; Sarah Krabbenhoft 3-5 0-0 7; Leanne White 3-4 0-0 6; Jamie Visness 2-11 0-0 6; Anne Keeley 2-6 0-0 4; Kim Meyer 1-3 0-0 3; Tori Ehlert 1-5 0-0 2; Christina Aarestad 1-1 0-0 2; Karie Visness 0-5 1-2 1. Totals 25-63 4-6 60. WHITWORTH (9-0) Speer, Tiffany 7-16 8-12 23; Shogren, Sarah 5-15 4-5 14; Bielec, Dani 3-7 3-4 12; Hendrickson, Emily 3-6 2-2 8; Coppin, Kristie 2-7 0-0 4; Liu, Wenchi 1-5 0-0 2; Gradley, Holley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-57 17-23 63. Concordia-M'head.............. 32 28 - 60 Whitworth..................... 32 31 - 63 3-point goals-Concordia-M'head 6-18 (Jamie Visness 2-5; Mandy Pearson 2-6; Kim Meyer 1-2; Sarah Krabbenhoft 1-3; Anne Keeley 0-2), Whitworth 4-14 (Bielec, Dani 3-6; Speer, Tiffany 1-3; Hendrickson, Emily 0-1; Coppin, Kristie 0-1; Liu, Wenchi 0-2; Shogren, Sarah 0-1). Fouled out--Concordia-M'head-None, Whitworth-None. Rebounds-Concordia-M'head 39 (Mandy Pearson 9), Whitworth 39 (Shogren, Sarah 11; Speer, Tiffany 11). Assists-Concordia-M'head 14 (Mandy Pearson 3; Anne Keeley 3; Karie Visness 3), Whitworth 14 (Liu, Wenchi 6). Total fouls-Concordia-M'head 20, Whitworth 12. A-250 Game four of the Quality Inn Whit Holiday Classic.