Mounts and Malley Earn Honorable Mention All-NWC Recognition

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

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.

A total of 23 players were recognized for outstanding efforts this season, with six players on the First Team, five on the Second Team and 12 receiving honorable mention.

Mounts ranked third in the NWC in scoring with 17.3 points per game and was third in rebounding with 8.2 boards per contest. He also ranked third in the NWC with 0.9 blocked shots per game. He was named Second Team All-NWC in 2010-11 when he averaged 20.2 points per game.

This season Mounts scored a total of 432 points while reaching double figures in all 25 games. He scored 20 or more points 10 times and registered nine double-doubles. His 20-foot fade-away jumper with six seconds left against George Fox University on Feb. 11 broke a 75-75 tie and gave WU a 77-75 win.

Mounts concluded his Willamette career with 1,298 points for 11th on the Bearcats' all-time scoring list. He also achieved 580 career rebounds. He played in 83 games with 68 starts, while earning career averages of 15.6 points (5th all-time at WU) and 7.0 rebounds per game.

"Taylor is a prime example of a guy who worked his tail off to transform his body, his game and his mindset to become one of the best players in this league," Willamette Head Coach Kip Ioane said.

Malley averaged 12.2 points per game this season. He reached double digits 14 times, including five of Willamette's last six games. He connected on 36.8% of his 3-points shots (32 of 87) and sank 76.1% of his free throws (67 of 88). He nailed a 3-pointer with 1:03 remaining for a five-point lead against Linfield College on Feb. 3. He added two free throws with 17 seconds left to secure the 83-78 win.

At George Fox on Jan. 13, Malley scored a career-high 25 points, while hitting 10 of 13 field goals, including 4 of 6 three-pointers. He tallied 20 or more points five times this season. In three years as a Bearcat, Malley has scored 844 points while sinking 93 three-point baskets and converting 177 of 232 free throws (76.3%).

Malley has seen action in 71 games with 43 starts at Willamette. He has earned a career average of 11.9 points per game. In addition, he has supplied the Bearcats with 99 assists (1.4 avg.) and 70 steals (1.0 avg.).

"Terrell became a closer for us the last month of the season, and this honor is, I think, directly related to his clutch play down the stretch," Ioane said.

Mounts and Malley started all 25 games this season, with one or both of them recording the team's top score in 22 of the games. Mounts also was WU's top rebounder 16 times.

The Bearcats finished the 2011-12 season with an overall record of 5-20, including 3-13 (7th place tie) in the Northwest Conference. Willamette won its final three home games of the season by defeating NWC rivals, Linfield, Lewis & Clark College (Feb. 9) and George Fox.