2007-08 Men's Basketball News
TACOMA, WASH. -- Jason Foster scored 17 points and Austin Boyce contributed seven points in the final 3:10, as the University of Puget Sound held off Willamette University for an 87-82 win in the semifinal game of the Northwest Conference Tournament, Thursday, Feb. 28 at Memorial Fieldhouse. UPS, which edged Willamette 127-121 in two overtimes on Feb. 23, improved to 19-6 overall. The Bearcats concluded the season with an 11-15 record.
Bearcats Win Four-Way Tie for Third and Final Playoff Spot: Despite dropping its final two regular season games, the Willamette University menâ??s basketball team earned the third and final bid into the NWC Tournament. The Bearcatsâ?? 4-2 record against Linfield College, Lewis and Clark College and Pacific University gave WU a tie-breaker advantage after all four teams tied for third place in the NWC at 9-7.
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will battle the University of Puget Sound in the Northwest Conference Semifinal in men's basketball on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. (PST), in Tacoma, Wash. It will be WU's second trip to Tacoma in six days to take on the Loggers. In the regular season finale on Saturday, Feb. 23, the teams play two halves and two overtime periods before Puget Sound edged the Bearcats, 127-121, to finish second in the NWC.
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University men's basketball players Kyler McClary (Jr., Post, Hillsboro, OR/Glencoe HS) and Mike Smith (Sr., Wing, Talent, OR/Phoenix HS) have been named Second Team All-Northwest Conference for the 2007-08 season, as chosen by the NWC head coaches. McClary and Smith were WU's top two scorers, with McClary reaching double digits in 24 of 25 games and Smith hitting double figures 20 times.
TACOMA, WASH. -- Willamette University rallied from an 11-point deficit with 4:15 remaining to force overtime, but the University of Puget Sound, ranked #23 in NCAA Division III, outlasted the Bearcats, 127-121 in two overtimes, on Saturday, Feb. 23 in a battle for second place in the Northwest Conference. Puget Sound improved to 18-6, 11-5 in the NWC.
FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Garold Howe scored 25 points and Joe Van Domelen added 21, as Pacific University concluded its home schedule with a 77-68 victory over Willamette University on Friday, Feb. 22. Pacific improved to 10-14 overall and to 8-7 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette dropped to 11-13 overall, 9-6 in the NWC.
Victory over Pioneers Sets Up Dramatic Finish to Season: In trying to describe the situation involving the Willamette University menâ??s basketball team, one could lean an on often-used coaching cliché: â??The next game is the biggest game. In the Bearcatsâ?? quest to make the Northwest Conference Tournament, no statement could be more true.
Bearcats Use Buzzer Beater to Push into Third Place in NWC Standings: Freshman point guard Robbie Kunkeâ??s last second layup gave Willamette University a hard-fought 82-81 win over visiting Linfield College on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in Salem, Ore. The win vaulted the Bearcats into third place in the Northwest Conference standings.
SALEM, ORE. -- Junior post Kyler McClary (Hillsboro, OR/Glencoe HS) and sophomore post Cameron Mitchell (Portland, OR/Grant HS/U. of Redlands) produced 16 points apiece, leading Willamette University to an 82-77 victory over Lewis & Clark College in a key Northwest Conference game, Saturday, Feb. 16 at Cone Field House. Willamette regained sole possession of third place in the NWC at 9-5, while Lewis & Clark moved into a tie for fourth place at 8-6.
SALEM, ORE. -- Robbie Kunke (Fr., PG, Clackamas, OR/Clackamas HS) scored on a layup at the buzzer, sending Willamette University to an 82-81 Northwest Conference victory over Linfield College, on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Cone Field House. The winning shot was set up by Corey Costantino (Jr., Wing, Ashland, OR/Ashland HS), who passed the ball through a Linfield double-team and found Kunke under the basket.
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University received double-digit scoring efforts from Kyler McClary (Jr., Post, Hillsboro, OR/Glencoe HS), Corey Costantino (Jr., Wing, Ashland, OR/Ashland HS) and Simon Currie (Jr., Wing/Post, Bend, OR/Mountain View HS), as the Bearcats defeated Pacific Lutheran University in a Northwest Conference game on Saturday, Feb. 9. Willamette sank 34 of 43 free throws (79.1%) and all nine Bearcats who played hit at least one charity shot.
NEWBERG, ORE. -- George Fox University senior guard Brent Satern scored the game's final 11 points, as the Bruins erased a 10-point lead by Willamette University and defeated the Bearcats, 58-57, in a Northwest Conference game on Friday, Feb. 8. Willamette held a 57-47 advantage with 2:48 remaining, but Satern hit two 3-pointers in the next minute, added a layup with 41 seconds to go, and put in another basket and a foul shot with 26 seconds remaining.
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University men's basketball player Corey Costantino (Jr., Wing, Ashland, OR/Ashland HS) has been named First Team ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-District VIII, as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Washington Sweep Vaults Bearcats into Tie for Third Place: In any given season, there are bound to be tremendous highs and difficult lows. Head Coach Gordie James and his Bearcats experienced a historic high in the State of Washington this past weekend, as Willamette University swept Whitman College, 78-66, and Whitworth University, 82-74. The wins vaulted the Bearcats into a tie with Linfield College for third place in the Northwest Conference at 6-4.
SALEM, ORE. --- Willamette University senior basketball player Mike Smith (Wing, Talent, OR/Phoenix HS) has been named Northwest Conference Player of the Week for his efforts in leading the Bearcats to wins at Whitman College and Whitworth University last week. Willamette defeated Whitman, 78-66, on Friday, Feb. 1, then downed Whitworth, 82-74, on Saturday, Feb. 2.
SPOKANE, WASH. -- Sophomore post Cameron Mitchell (Portland, OR/Grant HS/U. of Redlands) scored 27 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season, leading Willamette University to an 82-74 victory over Whitworth University, in a Northwest Conference game on Saturday, Feb. 2. Willamette improved to 8-11 on the season, including 6-4 in the NWC. Whitworth dropped to 15-4 overall, 8-2 in the NWC.