SPOKANE, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University men's basketball team surged out to an early lead but was unable to weather the storm late in the first half, ending on the wrong side of an 85-64 scoreline on Saturday night against Northwest Conference leading Whitworth University. 
 
It was the Brandin Riedel show in the opening moments inside Whitworth Fieldhouse with the senior dropped seven of the game's opening nine points. The host Pirates (11-5, 7-0 NWC) battled back, tying the game at 16. A Miles Nash bucket put the visiting Lutes (10-6, 3-4 NWC) back on top but Whitworth scored the next seven points to take a five point lead with 11:23 left in the opening stanza.
 
Whitworth continued to pull away, taking a 46-30 advantage into the halftime intermission. 
 
PLU knifed the deficit back to single digits on a Sam Noland three with 14:34 remaining in the game but Whitworth wouldn't let the Lutes get any closer on its way to a 21-point victory.
 
"Tough one tonight. I thought we came out really well and did a great job establishing Brandin but we weren't able to provide a second wave once they stabilized and punched us back. I thought their bench was the difference in the game," said Head Coach Chad Murray.
 
Riedel paced the Lutes with 15 points, hitting seven of his 11 shots from the floor while hauling in a team-high seven rebounds. Sam Noland registered 14 points with Miles Nash adding nine points and seven assists.
 
It was a hot shooting night for the hosts as Whitworth shot 58.9 percent (33-for-56) from the field, including a blistering 57.9 percent (11-for-19) from beyond the arc. 
 
PLU closes out its road trip to eastern Washington tomorrow afternoon, tipping off against Whitman College at 4 p.m. in Walla Walla.