2011-12 Men's Basketball News

Season
Willamette Announces Men's Basketball Recruiting Class for 2012-13 Season
Willamette Announces Men's Basketball Recruiting Class for 2012-13 Season

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University men's basketball Head Coach Kip Ioane has announced the incoming recruiting class for the Bearcats in 2012-13. The list of recruits features one transfer and five incoming freshman.

Mounts and Malley Earn Honorable Mention All-NWC Recognition
Mounts and Malley Earn Honorable Mention All-NWC Recognition

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University men's basketball players Taylor Mounts (Sr., Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) and Terrell Malley (Jr., G, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) have been chosen Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference for the 2011-12 season in voting by the NWC head coaches.

Nationally Ranked Whitworth Pulls Away from Willamette, 93-65
Nationally Ranked Whitworth Pulls Away from Willamette, 93-65

SPOKANE, WASH. -- Whitworth University, ranked #10 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, played a strong second half to extend a 40-32 halftime lead into a 93-65 victory over Willamette University at the Whitworth Fieldhouse on Saturday, Feb. 18. Whitworth improved to 22-3 overall, 15-1 in the Northwest Conference.

Whitman Heats Up in First Half to Defeat Willamette, 103-71
Whitman Heats Up in First Half to Defeat Willamette, 103-71

WALLA WALLA, WASH. -- The Whitman College Missionaries lit up the nets in the first half to surge out to a 52-25 halftime lead on their way to a 103-71 victory over Willamette University on Friday, Feb. 17 at George Ball Court. Whitman outscored the Bearcats by a much closer margin of 51-46 in the second half, as Willamette improved on both ends of the court.

Mounts is Selected as NWC Men's Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week
Mounts is Selected as NWC Men's Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University senior Taylor Mounts (Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) has been chosen Northwest Conference Men's Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts in wins by the Bearcats against Lewis & Clark College on Thursday, Feb. 9 and George Fox University on Saturday, Feb. 11. Mounts averaged 22.0 points and 11.5 rebounds during the week.

Mounts Scores 24 Points, Hits Winning Basket, as Bearcats Edge Bruins, 77-75
Mounts Scores 24 Points, Hits Winning Basket, as Bearcats Edge Bruins, 77-75

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University senior Taylor Mounts (Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) hit a 20-foot fade-away jump shot with six seconds left to send the Bearcats to a 77-75 victory over George Fox University in the final home game for Mounts and two other Willamette seniors. The Bearcats rallied from a 39-31 halftime deficit. WU also trailed 50-41 with 15:44 remaining and 55-47 with 12:12 to go.

Bearcats to Play at Home versus Pioneers on Thursday, Feb. 9
Bearcats to Play at Home versus Pioneers on Thursday, Feb. 9

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's basketball team will host Lewis & Clark College in Northwest Conference action on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. (PST). The game was originally scheduled for Friday, Feb. 10, but was moved to avoid conflicts with the inauguration of Willamette President Stephen Thorsett.

Bearcats Never Trail, Stop Rally by Pioneers in Second Half for 79-70 Win
Bearcats Never Trail, Stop Rally by Pioneers in Second Half for 79-70 Win

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University shot 52.6% from the field (30 of 57) and limited Lewis & Clark College to 36.0% shooting (27 of 75), as the Bearcats never trailed in a 79-70 victory over the Pioneers on Thursday, Feb. 9 at Cone Field House. Willamette held off a rally by the Pioneers, who pulled within one point in the second half. WU closed the game with a 19-11 run.

Boxers Edge Bearcats in Closing Minutes, 69-64
Boxers Edge Bearcats in Closing Minutes, 69-64

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Pacific University went on an 10-2 run late in the game to rally past Willamette University for a 69-64 victory over the Bearcats on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Stoller Center. Willamette held a 57-56 advantage after Terrell Malley (Jr., G, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) sank a free throw with 4:10 remaining, but the Boxers scored the next five points to start their decisive run.

Mounts and Malley Lead  the Way as Willamette Defeats Linfield, 83-78
Mounts and Malley Lead the Way as Willamette Defeats Linfield, 83-78

SALEM, ORE. -- Taylor Mounts (Sr., Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) scored 23 points and Terrell Malley (Jr., G, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) added 20 points to lead Willamette University over archrival Linfield College, 83-78, on Friday, Feb. 3 at Cone Field House. Mounts also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for the Bearcats.

Mounts Scores 30 Points, but Lutes Limit Turnovers to Defeat Bearcats, 89-78
Mounts Scores 30 Points, but Lutes Limit Turnovers to Defeat Bearcats, 89-78

PARKLAND, WASH. -- Pacific Lutheran University committed just two turnovers, as the Lutes defeated visiting Willamette University, 89-78, at Olson Auditorium on Saturday, Jan. 28. Willamette senior Taylor Mounts (Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) scored a game-high 30 points and led all players with 12 rebounds, but the Bearcats couldn't overcome PLU's ability to retain the ball on offense.

Loggers Down Bearcats in Tacoma, 85-64
Loggers Down Bearcats in Tacoma, 85-64

TACOMA, WASH. -- Senior forward Anthony Gittens scored 11 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to lead the University of Puget Sound past Willamette University, 85-64, in a Northwest Conference game on Friday, Jan. 27 at Memorial Fieldhouse. Gittens helped the Loggers achieve a 46-29 rebounding margin. Puget Sound shot 58.6% in the first half (17 of 29), while building a 49-32 lead.

Whitman Extends Lead in Second Half, Moves Past Willamette, 98-65
Whitman Extends Lead in Second Half, Moves Past Willamette, 98-65

SALEM, ORE. -- Senior forward David Michaels connected on 8 of 9 field goals and 4 of 4 free throws on his way to 22 points, leading Whitman College past Willamette University, 98-65, in Northwest Conference action on Saturday, Jan. 21. The Missionaries held a 52-38 lead at Willamette's Cone Field House at halftime, before extending the lead in the second half.

Willamette Plays Strong against 9th-Ranked Whitworth, but Pirates Prevail, 83-69
Willamette Plays Strong against 9th-Ranked Whitworth, but Pirates Prevail, 83-69

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University played on level terms with nationally ranked Whitworth University in nearly every category on Friday, Jan. 20, at Cone Field House. The Bearcats scored four more field goals, matched the Pirates with nine 3-point baskets and committed three fewer turnovers.

Pioneers Hold Off Comeback by Bearcats to Win 87-74
Pioneers Hold Off Comeback by Bearcats to Win 87-74

PORTLAND, ORE. -- Lewis & Clark College hit eight 3-pointers in the first half to build a 46-28 lead and held a 24-point advantage with 10:31 left, but had to hold off a tremendous rally by Willamette University, before defeating the Bearcats, 87-74, at the Pamplin Sports Center on Saturday, Jan. 14. 

Malley Scores Career-High 25, but Bruins Edge Bearcats in Overtime, 89-87
Malley Scores Career-High 25, but Bruins Edge Bearcats in Overtime, 89-87

NEWBERG, ORE. -- A.J. Grant scored a basket with seven seconds left in overtime to provide George Fox University with the winning points, as the Bruins slipped past the Bearcats of Willamette University, 89-87, in a Northwest Conference game at the Wheeler Sports Center on Friday, Jan. 13.