A hot-shooting effort by No. 1 Whitman proved to be too much for the Pacific men's basketball team, who dropped a 116-86 decision to the host Blues on Friday in Walla Walla, Washington.

The Boxers (8-4, 2-1 NWC) landed four players in double figures including senior Jay Merriweather (pictured; photo by Tyler Kanoa), who had his second double double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead Pacific.
 
Pacific junior Brevin Brown added 15, seniors Nate Olowo and R.J. Collins each had 13 and 10 in the loss. Brown has scored in double figures in the last five games and Olowo in the last four.
 
The Blues (12-0, 3-0) eclipsed the 100-point mark for the eighth time on the season in the win. Joey Hewitt led Whitman with 19 points, who had seven players in double figures and shot at a 53.9% clip from the field including 11 3-pointers in the win. Whitman shot 59.5% (25-for-42) in the last 20 minutes. In addition to its potent shooting from the field, an aggressive Whitman defense forced 31 Boxer turnovers in the win that translated into 40 points.
 
The lead went back and forth for the opening 2:25 of the contest before a 14-3 run put the host Blues ahead 22-9 with 14:19 to play in the first half. The Boxers clawed back with seven-straight including five in a row by Brown to cut the deficit to six, 22-16, with 13:24 remaining in the first half. However, Pacific would not be able to draw any closer for the rest of the contest.

Seven unanswered points put the Blues back ahead by double figures for nearly the remainder of the contest. Merriweather scored the first points of the second half to cut the deficit to as little as 12.
 
Next, Pacific will face No. 8 Whitworth (11-1, 3-0 NWC), who defeated Lewis & Clark, 98-91 on Friday, on Saturday at 6 p.m.