Loggers Down Bearcats in Tacoma, 85-64

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

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.

Puget Sound improved to 14-4 on the season, 6-3 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 2-16, including 0-9 in the NWC.

Senior guard Edric Egberuare of UPS paced the Loggers with 12 points. He also grabbed six rebounds and went 6 for 6 at the line. Gittens was the only other Logger in double figures, but a total of 15 players scored at least one point for Puget Sound.

WU senior Ryan Meehan (Wing, Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS/MSU-Billings) recorded a game-high seven steals to tie for second on Willamette's all-time single game list. He is tied with John Olinger (vs. Whitman College, Feb. 6, 2004) and Kevin VandenBrink (vs. Puget Sound, Jan. 10, 1998).

The record holder is Russ Sovde, who gathered in eight steals against Pacific Lutheran University on Jan. 12, 1990.

Taylor Mounts (Sr., Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) topped Willamette in scoring with 11 points. Terrell Malley (Jr., G, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) followed with eight points. Trevor Bos (So., G, Lakewood, CA/St. John Bosco HS) scored eight points for the Bearcats.

Sean Dart (Jr., Post, Bend, OR/Mountain View HS/Eastern Oregon Univ.) was WU's leading rebounder with seven boards.

Hot shooting and dominant rebounding by Puget Sound led to the big halftime lead. The UPS bench hit an impressive 10 of 15 shots (66.7%) during the first 20 minutes, helping the starters overcome an early 5-0 deficit.

WU and UPS were tied 14-14 after Ryan Meehan (Sr., Wing, Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS/MSU-Billings) scored on a 3-pointer for the Bearcats with 11:44 on the clock. The Loggers responded with a 10-0 run, starting with four points by Egberuare, to take a 24-14 lead. The advantage for UPS increased to 35-20 when Julian Fernandez nailed a 3-pointer at the 5:45 mark.

Puget Sound scored the first four points of the second half on a layup by Egberuare and a jumper by Gittens, as the Loggers claimed a 53-32 lead.

The Bearcats scored the next basket on a layup by Dart and pulled within 57-40 on a layup by Alex Hansen (So., G, Reno, NV/Galena HS) with 14:35 to go, but couldn't get closer. UPS countered with a 6-0 run to maintain control of the game.

The Loggers gained a slim 36-32 scoring edge in the second half, when they shot just 33.3% (10 of 30). Willamette, which shot 48.1% (13 of 27) in the first half, shot 35.7% (10 of 28) over the final 20 minutes.

UPS finish the night at 45.8% on field goals (27 of 59), while the Bearcats were 23 of 55 (41.8%). Puget Sound was 27 of 34 at the free throw line (79.4%). The Bearcats made just 13 of 26 free throws (50.0%).

The game included 58 turnovers, almost evenly split between the two teams. Willamette lost the ball 30 times, while Puget Sound committed 28 turnovers. WU earned 17 steals, while Puget Sound finished with 14.

Willamette's 17 steals tied for second on the all-time list for the Bearcats, equaling the 17 against Pacific University on Jan. 28, 1983. The school record was set earlier this season with 18 steals against St. Martin's University on Dec. 6, 2011.