SPOKANE, Wash. -- Texas Lutheran closed out its Washington road trip with a 98-82 loss Saturday to No. 9 Whitman College at the Whitworth University Quality Inn Whit Classic.

In the Whitworth Fieldhouse, the Bulldogs scored the first three points of the second half to tie the game at 53, but Whitman pushed the lead to 12, at 77-65, with 13:27 to play. The Blues' lead did not drip below double digits the rest of the way.

The Blues improved to 3-0 overall. TLU dropped to 3-2. The Bulldogs fell to No. 12 Whitworth on Saturday.

Matthew Gillette scored a career-high 26 for the Bulldogs. Gillette went a career-best 16-for-18 at the free throw line and added four made field goals. The junior forward also collected 10 rebounds.

Senior guard Jordan Kouremetis added 11 points. Freshman guard Joshua Thompson was the only other Bulldog in double figures. Thompson made five of his seven shots and scored 10 points in 12 minutes.

Junior forward Blake Ray contributed eight points and seven rebounds.

TLU made half of its three-point shots in the first half, going 4-for-8. The Bulldogs were 1-for-10 from the arc in the second half.

The Bulldogs and Blues combined for 82 free throws. Whitman went 32-for-41 at the line, and TLU made 27-of-41.

TLU shot 33 free throws in the first half (and made 22). Whitman shot 19 free throws in the second half.

Jase Harrison scored 22 to lead Whitman. Harrison made all 10 of his free throw attempts. Tim Howell added 17 and went 9-for-10 at the line.

The Bulldogs stay on the road for games next Saturday and Sunday in Conway, Ark. TLU faces Hendrix College on Saturday and Millsaps College on Sunday.