Willamette to Take on Bruins and Loggers in Men's Basketball

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will play Northwest Conference men's basketball games on consecutive nights when the Bearcats travel to George Fox University on Friday, Feb. 6 and then host University of Puget Sound on Saturday, Feb. 7. Game time against GFU is set for 8 p.m. (PST) in Newberg, Ore. Tipoff against UPS is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Cone Field House.

Multimedia coverage of both games will be available through Live Video and Live Stats.

Willamette is 6-13 on the season and 4-6 in the Northwest Conference. George Fox owns a 5-14 record, including 3-7 in the NWC. Puget Sound is 10-8 overall and 5-5 in the NWC. The Loggers will play at Pacific University on Friday.

The Bearcats gave nationally-ranked Whitworth University a good battle last Saturday before falling to the Pirates, 90-83. Brandon Luedtke (Jr., F, Meridian, ID/Mt. View HS) scored 22 points and hauled down 11 rebounds for the Bearcats. Whitworth, ranked #21 by D3hoops.com, improved to 17-2 overall and to 10-0 in the NWC.

Luedtke is Willamette's leading scorer for the season with 14.9 points per game. He ranks first in the NWC with 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. He has connected on 51.7% of his field goal attempts (90 of 174).

Also averaging in double figures for the Bearcats are Brendon McCullough (Fr., G, San Antonio, TX/Home Schooled) and Bridger Harlington (Jr., Wing, Lake Tapps, WA/Auburn Riverside HS). McCullough has scored 11.6 points per game and Harlington has contributed 11.1 points per game.

McCullough has converted 81.8% of his free throws (81 of 99), while Harlington leads WU with 33 three-point baskets. Harlington is shooting 37.5% from 3-point range. A total of six Bearcats have made at least 12 three-pointers.

Nico Troplent (Fr., Wing, Los Angeles, CA/Cathedral HS) adds 8.4 points per game. Kyle McNally (Sr., F, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) has provided 7.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He leads the NWC with 43 blocked shots (2.3 avg.).

George Fox is led by Jonny Howard (Sr., G), who is averaging 18.1 points per game. He is shooting 50.6% from the field (118 of 233) and is 42 of 104 on 3-pointers (40.4%). He is second on the team with 2.1 assists per game. Howard scored 28 points in Willamette's 75-72 win over GFU on Jan. 10.

JJ Lacey (So., G) has scored 12.2 points per game for the Bruins. In addition, he leads the team with 56 assists (2.9 avg.). Brendin Quinn (Fr., F) is averaging 9.1 points per game and ranks second on the team with 5.6 rebounds per game. The Bruins' top rebounder is Eli Graham (Sr., G) with 6.3 boards per contest.

The Bruins are second in the NWC in 3-point field goals made per game (8.9) and total field goals made per game (27.4). GFU is averaging 76.9 points per game, but has allowed opponents an average of 84.6 points per night.

Three players top Puget Sound's scoring chart in double figures. Nick Holden (Sr., F) leads the way with 15.4 points per game. He also is the Loggers' best rebounder with 8.8 boards per game. He trails only Luedtke on the NWC rebounding list.

Erin Barber (Sr., G) has scored 15.1 points per contest, while connecting on 37 of 92 three-pointers (40.2%). He ranks second on the team with 2.3 assists per game. Keith Shattuck has produced 10.8 points per game, while shooting 41.4% from behind the 3-point arc (36 of 87).

Matt Reid (Jr., G) ranks second in the NWC with 3.8 assists per game, as he has earned 69 in 18 games played.

The Loggers are scoring 71.7 points per game and have allowed 68.1 points per game. Willamette defeated Puget Sound, 84-77 in overtime, on Jan. 9 in Tacoma, Wash. The game was tied 65-65 at the end of regulation, but the Bearcats outscored the Loggers 19-12 in overtime.