Mike Archuletta '09 finished with a team-high 14 points as Whittier College cruised to a 68-48 victory over Pacific University in the Graham Athletics Center on December 16.  The Poets were hot from the field, shooting 57% to improve their record to 4-3 this season.

Archuletta also led the Poets with seven rebounds.  He was 6-for-10 from the field in 20 minutes of action off the bench.  Vernon Covington '08 scored 12 points, on pace with his team-leading season average.  He also paced the defense with two steals and a blocked shot.  Travis Crow '09 pitched in with 11 points, three assists and two steals.

The Boxers were led by Garold Howe who scored 14 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.  Donnie Harrison-Davis was the only other player in double figures with 13 points.

The first half was a close battle with the lead changing hands four times.  A Poets' three-pointer by Bill Ritter '08 tied the game at 26 with 6:56 left in the half.  Whittier then went on an 11-2 run to end the half, taking a 37-28 lead at the break.  In the opening minutes of the second, the Poets took over.  They jumped out to a 17 point lead with thirteen minutes left in the game thanks to eight straight points from Covington.  Whittier led by 27 points with five minutes in the game, and went on to take the 68-48 victory.

The Poets defense held Pacific to just 25% shooting in the second half and 32% in the game.  Whittier had 12 steals in the game and forced 19 Boxer turnovers.  The Poets also turned the ball over 19 times, but seven of those came in the final five minutes of the game.  The Poets shot nearly 60% in the second half as they extended their lead. 

The Poets take a short hiatus from the hardwood for the holidays before returning home on December 30 for another non-conference match-up against The College of St. Scholastica.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm in the Graham Athletics Center.