Willamette to Take on Pacific Lutheran on Friday at Cone Field House

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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's basketball team will play at home on Friday, Feb. 13 when the Bearcats host Pacific Lutheran University at Cone Field House. Game time for the Northwest Conference match-up is scheduled for 8 p.m. (PST).

Willamette is 8-14 on the season, including 6-7 in the NWC. Pacific Lutheran is 7-14 overall, 5-7 in the NWC. The Bearcats are one-half game out of fourth place in the conference standings. Pacific University (6-6) is in fourth and Willamette is fifth. PLU and University of Puget Sound (5-7) share sixth place. The top four teams will qualify for the NWC Tournament.

Multimedia coverage of Friday's game will be available through Live Video and Live Stats.

When the teams met for the first time this season, Pacific Lutheran defeated Willamette, 62-55. WU trailed by just four points, 57-53, with 1:14 remaining, but PLU hit 5 of 8 free throws the rest of the way to clinch the win.

Dylan Foreman (Fr., G) led the Lutes with 18 points while Brandon Lester (So., G) scored 11. Austen Wilson (Sr., C/F) grabbed 13 rebounds. For the Bearcats, Brandon Luedtke (Jr., F, Meridian, ID/Mt. View HS) earned 13 points, while Brendon McCullough (Fr., G, San Antonio, TX/Home Schooled) finished with 11. Kyle McNally (Sr., F, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) achieved 11 boards.

Three Bearcats are averaging in double figures for scoring. Luedtke ranks first on the team and is sixth in the NWC with 14.1 points per game. McCullough and Bridger Harlington (Jr., Wing, Lake Tapps, WA/Auburn Riverside HS) have averaged 10.8 points per game.

In addition, Nico Troplent (Fr., Wing, Los Angeles, CA/Cathedral HS) has provided 8.9 points per contest. McCullough at 81.3% (87 of 107) and Troplent at 80.9% (38 of 47) lead the Bearcats at the free throw line, while McCullough ranks first in assists with 55 and is seventh in the NWC with 2.6 assists per game.

Luedtke tops the NWC with 9.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He is shooting 51.3% on field goals (101 of 197).

McNally has contributed to the Bearcats in a variety of ways. He has provided 7.0 points per game to go along with 6.2 rebounds per game. He leads the NWC with 54 blocked shots, an average of 2.5 blocks per game. He also has provided 34 assists to tie for second on the team with Luedtke.

The Bearcats rank second in the NWC after forcing 18.5 turnovers per game so far this season. Willamette has averaged 15.2 turnovers, leaving the Bearcats with +3.3 takeaways per game.

Pacific Lutheran has two players with double-digit scoring averages. They are Lester at 13.6 points per game and Foreman with 11.2 points per contest. Lester also leads the Lutes with 50 three-point baskets, while Foreman is shooting 44.4% from 3-point range (32 of 72). Lester ranks first on the team with 36 assists.

Bryce Miller (Jr., P) and Seth Anderson (Jr., G) are tied for third for PLU in scoring with 6.7 points per game. Miller has recorded a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game and is second with 33 assists. Wilson has provided the Lutes with 4.8 rebounds per game.

The Lutes rank last in the NWC in scoring with 58.9 points per game, but are tied for second in the NWC on defense, allowing 63.6 points per game. Pacific Lutheran is third in the conference in 3-point shooting percentage at 37.2%.

After Friday's game, the Bearcats will not play again until Friday, Feb. 20, when they will play at Linfield College. Game time in McMinnville, Ore., is set for 8 p.m. (PST).