PARKLAND – Twenty-first-ranked Whitworth used a 22-11 run to pull away to a 70-58 Northwest Conference men's basketball win over Pacific Lutheran Saturday night at Names Family Court.

Pacific Lutheran fell to 7-14 overall and 4-8 in conference play, while Whitworth extended its NWC-leading record to 11-1, 17-4 overall. The Lutes return to action Tuesday night, hosting cross-town rival Puget Sound at 8 p.m. on Breast Cancer Awareness Night.

Brandon Lester and Bryce Miller each scored 12 points to lead the Lutes, with Miller adding nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Kai Hoyt tallied 10 points for PLU, as the Lutes finished the night with a 43.1 overall shooting percentage (22-of-51), including 6-of-14 from long range.

Dustin McConnell scored a game-high 23 points to lead Whitworth, while Taylor Farnsworth posted a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds to go with four steals. The Pirates shot 46.2 percent overall (24-of-52), including 52 percent in the first half (13-of-25).

Whitworth scored the first six points of the night, but Pacific Lutheran tied it up at 8-8 and took a brief 10-8 lead on a jumper by Terrell Williams. The Pirates reclaimed the lead a moment later and built their advantage to as many as eight points late in the first half before Arvid Isaksen hit a three-pointer and followed with a pair of free throws to pull PLU within three at 31-28 going into the break.

The Pirates came out in the second half and pushed their lead back to nine points three different times early in the period, but the Lutes used an 8-1 run to draw within one point following a Miller layup midway through the half. McConnell ended the PLU run with a three-pointer on the Pirates' next possession, and the Lutes never again pulled within one possession of the lead. Whitworth hit 12 consecutive free throws in the final 5:10 to close out the win and clinch the season sweep.