SPOKANE, Wash. - Whitworth's most efficient offensive half of the season lifted the Pirates to a 97-55 win over visiting Pacific Lutheran in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon.

The 8th-ranked Pirates (21-2 overall, 14-0 NWC) won their 20th straight game after scorching the nets in the second half to break open the game against the Lutes (8-13, 6-8).

Eric Beal led the second half outburst, hitting for 19 of his game-high 28 points. Whitworth led by 13 points at the break, but broke the game wide open by making 67 percent (18-for-27) from the floor, 65 percent (11-for-17) from three-point range and 100 percent (11-for-11) from the free throw line. The Pirates outscored PLU 58-29 after halftime.

Beal went 5-for-7 from three-point range in the second half to finish 7-for-10 from beyond the arc in the game. His seven treys were one short of the school record. With the win, the Pirates reached 14 Northwest Conference victories for the first time in school history.

PLU took a brief 4-2 lead, but the Pirates answered with an 11-2 run and never trailed again. The Lutes stayed within double-digits most of the first half until Nate Montgomery scored inside to give Whitworth a 29-18 advantage. The Bucs would steadily stretch the lead the rest of the game.

Curtis Trondsen led the Lutes with 11 points off of the bench. James Conti had 10 points and five assists. Kyle MacTaggart led PLU with five rebounds as Whitworth had a 37-23 edge on the boards.

PLU returns to conference action next Friday night when it hosts Willamette at Olson Auditorium.

(Courtesy of Whitworth Sports Information Office.)