Despite a career-high 24 points from senior guard
Scott Cunningham, No. 15 Whitworth University utilized a 21-11 surge during the final six-plus minutes to secure an 80-61 victory over the Colorado College men's basketball team in a non-conference game on Sunday afternoon.
Cunningham shot .529 from the floor while scoring double-digit points for the sixth time in nine games this season.
CC went toe-to-toe with the ranked Pirates for most of the first half and trailed just 25-24 after Cunningham dialed long distance with 2:49 to go. However, Whitworth answered with nine consecutive points before
Taylor Harris knocked down a jumper and took a 35-26 lead into the break.
The Tigers trailed just 46-40 after
Leo Magnus scored with slightly less than 12 minutes remaining, and Colorado College was still within striking distance after
Will Nisbet put in a layup to make the score 59-50 with 6:19 to go, but that proved to be as close as CC would get.
Liam Fitzgerald scored six points and added an assist as the Pirates closed out the game on a 21-11 run.
Scott Ruegg finished with 15 points for the Tigers, reaching double-digits for the third time in the last four games.
Rowan Anderson led Whitworth with 22 points, while Miguel Lopez grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
Colorado College Standouts
Adrian Price scored seven points and grabbed two rebounds.
Will Nisbit produced five point and four rebounds.
Whitworth University Standouts
JT McDermott finished with 15 points and four assists.
Jordan Lester added 12 points and four assists
Notes
Colorado College slipped to 2-7 overall.
Whitman College improved to 8-1.
Next for the Tigers
Colorado College travels to Texas for its first full weekend of Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play next weekend. The Tigers face Southwestern University on Friday, Dec. 17, then visit Texas Lutheran University the next day.
