Kingsmen Battle Whitworth in Season Opener

Kingsmen Battle Whitworth in Season Opener

SPOKANE, Wash. — Palmer Chaplin started his senior campaign with 13 points, but Cal Lutheran men's basketball was shut down 105-51 by the Whitworth Pirates on Thursday night.

Cal Lutheran opened the season with great competition, with the Pirates having won 21 games a year ago and having played in the Northwest Conference (NWC) Tournament Final. Whitworth won their third straight game to start the year as the Kingsmen lost their season opener. 

Chaplin was perfect from the field  in the first half, but wasn't able to carry over the offense to the second half. He went 4-11 from the field and 2-6 from three-point range. 

Lachlan Hannemann and Brooks Mallory were next with eight points each and Logan McCullough added seven more with a team high six rebounds. 

Whitman finished the game 62.9-percent from the field while holding CLU to 28.1-percent. The Pirates forced the Kinsgmen into 24 turnovers and outrebounded them 41-28. 

The Pirates jumped out to an 11-0 lead to start the game, but the Kingsmen did not back down from the challenge. CLU went on a 16-9 run and cut the lead to a two-possession game. McCullough hit a three to get the run going and Chaplin capped it off with back-to-back three-pointers.

Whitworth picked up the pace the rest over the final 10 minutes and used a 33-13 run to take a sizable 53-29 lead at the half. The Pirates were on fire from the field, shooting 57.6-percent from the field. They held Cal Lutheran to 32.3-percent and forced the Kingsmen into 11 turnovers. 

The good favor continued for Whitworth in the second half as the Pirates opened with a 24-7 run and took a commanding 41-point lead. The Kingsmen could not recover as Cal Lutheran lost their first game of the season 105-51.

The Kingsmen continue the season on the road and face another NWC opponent in Whitman. Tipoff is set for Saturday at 6 p.m. 

Box Score: WU 105, CLU 51
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director