THE RECORDS
Linfield enters the week tied for second place with Whitworth at 16-6 overall and 11-3 in Northwest Conference play. Pacific Lutheran (17-6, 12-2 NWC) sits alone atop the NWC while Willamette (6-16, 3-11 NWC) rounds out the standings.
 
LINFIELD AT A GLANCE
A NWC title is still at large as the Wildcats end the regular season against first-place Pacific Lutheran on Friday and Willamette on Saturday. The 'Cats look to secure their second straight regular season championship after sharing the title with Whitworth in 2019-20. A win over the Lutes would put the 'Cats in a tie for first place entering the season finale with the Bearcats. The conference's top two seeds will earn the right to host the semifinals of the NWC tournament on Feb. 24 with the No. 1 seed retaining home-court advantage if it advances to the championship game on Feb. 26. The 'Cats are a perfect 10-0 at Ted Wilson Gymnasium in 2021-22.
 
Graduate student guard Dempsey Roggenbuck ranks second in the NWC with 20.3 points per game to go with 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He's ninth with a 48.1 field goal percentage while also leading the NWC with an 85.9 free throw percentage.
 
PACIFIC LUTHERAN AT A GLANCE
The Lutes are winners of seven straight games since their loss to the Wildcats in the first round of NWC play. The streak includes a 64-48 win over Whitworth on Feb. 11 to claim sole possession of first place. The Lutes enter Friday's matchup with the 'Cats with a perfect 9-0 record at Olson Gymnasium. They haven't lost a game at home since Feb. 20, 2021.
 
Senior guard Seth Hall stands alongside Roggenbuck as a top candidate for NWC Player of the Year. Hall leads the NWC with 20.8 points per game while ranking fifth with 6.7 rebounds per game. He ranks second with a 51.3 field goal percentage.
 
WILLAMETTE AT A GLANCE
Willamette has dropped three straight games and seven of its last eight. The Bearcats are the NWC's top scoring team with 83.5 points per game, but they also allow the most points with 93 per game. Freshman Cedric Coward ranks fourth in the NWC with 18.9 points and 3.9 assists per game. He sits atop the conference rankings with 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game to go with a 61.4 field goal percentage. Senior Jonathan Watts (13.2) and juniors Jack Boydell (14.2) and Daniel Plumer (12.5) are also scoring in double figures.
 
HISTORY
Linfield and Pacific Lutheran have met 106 times. The Wildcats own a slight lead in the series with a 54-52 record against the Lutes. The Wildcats have beaten the Lutes eight straight times, including an 87-84 victory on Jan. 22 at Ted Wilson Gymnasium that saw the team erase a 19-point deficit.
 
Linfield has played Willamette 110 times in their in-state rivalry. The Wildcats have won 53 of those meetings, including 12 straight and 14 of the last 16. The Wildcats are 26-25 against the Bearcats at home. They took the first meeting of the season, running away with a 112-69 rout of the Bearcats on Jan. 21 in Salem.