Mitchell, Meehan Lead Bearcats Past Pioneers, 80-73

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

PORTLAND, ORE. -- Senior post Cameron Mitchell (Portland, OR/Grant HS/Univ. of Redlands) earned 23 points and nine rebounds, while Ryan Meehan (So., Wing, Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS/MSU-Billings) tallied 15 points, five boards and six assists, leading Willamette University past Lewis & Clark College, 80-73, on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Willamette trailed 55-50 with 11:37 remaining, but closed the game with a 30-18 run. The Bearcats, who are 4-2 in their last six games, improved to 7-15 overall, 4-9 in the NWC. Lewis & Clark fell to 8-13 overall, 7-6 in the NWC.

Taylor Mounts (So., Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) added 16 points and six rebounds for the Bearcats. Terrell Malley (Fr., G, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) provided eight points, while Robbie Kunke (Jr., Wing, Clackamas, OR/Clackamas HS) achieved six points and six assists.

Senior guard Josh Kollasch paced Lewis & Clark with a game-high 28 points to go with 10 rebounds. Kyle Meeuwsen finished with 18 points and three blocked shots for the Pioneers. James Hollins registered 10 points.

Lewis & Clark scored the first basket of the game, but Willamette countered with a 13-0 run. The run started with three consecutive 3-pointers -- one each by Meehan, Mounts and Bubba Lemon (Jr., Wing, McMinnville, OR/Tualatin HS/Linfield College) -- and ended with a layup by Mitchell. WU was in front 13-2 at the 15:39 mark.

The Pioneers tallied the next seven points to pull within 13-9. Willamette led 18-12 on a 3-pointer by Mounts with 12:08 left in the half, but L&C answered with nine consecutive points. The Pioneers held a 21-18 lead at the end of what became a combined 19-5 run.

Willamette had to battle from behind the rest of the period. Lewis & Clark's largest lead of the half was 36-30 following a 3-pointer by Hollins with 4:36 remaining. The Pioneer led 40-35 following a layup by Kollasch with 53 seconds on the clock.

After a turnover by the Bearcats, L&C had possession with hopes of a final shot before the intermission, but Mitchell stole the ball in a double-team with Kunke near mid-court and scored on a dunk with five second to go. L&C had a 40-37 advantage at halftime.

L&C continued to hold an edge during the first nine minutes of the second half, including a 50-43 lead following a 3-pointer by Hollins with 14:35 remaining. Roughly three minutes later, the Pioneers were in front 55-50.

Just over a minute later, the Bearcats gained the lead. A 6-0 run provided the 56-55 advantage, as Kunke scored on a layup at 11:24, Mitchell added a layup at 10:34 and Malley put in a driving layup at 10:11.

Lewis & Clark recorded the next two points on a pair of free throws by Kelly Edwards for a 57-56 advantage. WU went on an 8-0 run between the 9:33 mark and 8:06 to go. Marcus Holmes (Jr., G, Seattle, WA/Garfield HS) completed the run with an open 3-pointer from the right elbow.

WU maintained the lead the rest of the game, but had to fend off the Pioneers, who cut the margin to 66-64 on two free throws by Hollins at the 5:45 mark.

Another quick run, this time on a layup by Meehan, a fast-break basket from Mounts and another layup from Meehan, put the Bearcats on top 72-64 with 4:05 left. The Pioneers managed to get within 76-71 on a 3-pointer by Hollins with 1:50 remaining, but Mounts tallied a layup on WU's next possession.

The Bearcats shot 51.6% for the night (33 of 64), including 6 of 18 on three-pointers. L&C shot 44.8% overall (26 of 58), but connected on only 9 of 25 field goals (36.0%) in the second half. The Pioneers, who made 20 of 43 three-pointers in a 93-88 victory over the Bearcats on Jan. 12, hit just 7 of 29 (24.1%) in the rematch.

Willamette will host George Fox University on Friday, Feb. 12 at Cone Field House. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST) and will be played prior to the women's game between the Bearcats and the Bruins.