Bearcats Rally with 18-0 Run in Second Half to Defeat Pacific, 78-71

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

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Willamette University trailed by 12 points with 12:08 remaining, but the Bearcats scored 18 unanswered points to take a 65-59 lead on their way to a 78-71 win over Pacific University on Friday, Jan. 23. The Bearcats outscored the Boxers, 44-27, in the second half.

WU improved to 5-11 overall, 3-4 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific ended the night at 8-9, including 3-5 in the NWC.

Five Bearcats reached double figures in scoring, led by Brandon Luedtke (Jr., F, Meridian, ID/Mt. View HS) with 17 points. Bridger Harlington (Jr., Wing, Lake Tapps, WA/Auburn Riverside HS) chipped in 13 points and Brendon McCullough (Fr., G, San Antonio, TX/Home Schooled) added 12.

Joseph Jackson (Sr., G, Hillsboro, OR/Hillsboro HS) and Talanoa Smith (Sr., G, Pago Pago, American Samoa/Tafuna HS) finished with 10 points each. Kyle McNally (Sr., F, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) scored nine points and topped Willamette with nine rebounds. Luedtke grabbed eight boards and McCullough earned seven.

Mitch Wettig of Pacific earned a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds. He was 7 of 11 from the field and made 4 of 6 three-point shots. Bobby Ahern and DeVon Pouncy each contributed 12 points.

The Boxers scored the first points of the second half on a 3-pointer by Ahern with 17:37 to go, as Pacific took a 47-34 lead. A bit later, Pacific led 50-36 after a 3-pointer from Wettig with 17:02 left.

Willamette trailed 59-47 before the Bearcats' 18-0 run changed the game. The offensive surge started with two free throws by Harlington at the 11:35 mark, followed by a layup from Smith on a fast-break 16 second later. Luedtke added layup, and then Smith tacked on a layup as well.

McCullough sank a 3-pointer with 9:38 left to pull WU within 59-58, and Luedtke made a layup with 9:08 on the clock for a 60-59 lead. WU completed the run with a 3-pointer by Harlington with 8:43 remaining and a lengthy two-pointer by McCullough at the 7:46 mark.

Pacific did not score for more than six-and-a-half minutes. Riley Grandinetti hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 6:29 to go, trimming the Bearcats' lead to 65-62.

WU led the rest of the way, but Pacific got as close as two points, 72-70, on a layup by Grandinetti with 2:01 left.

McNally scored following an offensive rebound at the 1:33 mark. Neither team scored again until Wettig made 1 of 2 free throws with 35.7 seconds on the clock.

The Bearcats secured the win, as Jackson made two free throws with 33.5 seconds to go, while McCullough and Harlington each went 1 for 2 at the line in the final half-minute.

Early in the game, Willamette led 9-3, but Pacific tied the score at 12-12 on a 3-pointer by Ahern with 15:18 left in the half. The Boxers took a 20-14 lead following a 3-pointer by Michael Garcia with 13:27 to go.

The Bearcats rallied for 28-27 lead on a 3-pointer by Jackson at the 8:35 mark. Smith added a long two-pointer with 6:36 left, giving WU a 30-27 advantage.

Pacific scored the next 17 points to surge past the Bearcats and claim a 44-30 lead with 2:17 on the clock. The run featured three 3-point baskets, including two by Wettig. Pouncy contributed six points.

WU went more than four minutes without scoring until Hayden Russell (So., G, Woodland, CA/Da Vinci HS) put in two free throws with 2:11 left. Luedtke tacked on a layup at the 1:20 mark. Pacific held a 44-34 halftime lead.

The Boxers shot 60.0% (15 of 25) in the first half, but slipped to 34.5% (10 of 29) in the second half. Willamette connected on 48.5% of its shots in the second half (16 of 33) to finish at 44.6% overall (29 of 65).

Pacific hit 14 of 29 three-pointers (48.3%), including 9 for 14 in the first half (64.3%). The Bearcats were 7 for 26 from 3-point range (26.9%).

Willamette sank just 13 of 25 free throws (52.0%), but still outscored the Boxers at the line, as Pacific went 7 for 13 (53.8%). The Bearcats earned 18 steals and forced Pacific into 23 turnovers, which resulted in 29 points. WU lost the ball 12 times, leading to 17 points for the Boxers.

The Bearcats will play again on Saturday (Jan. 24), when they host archrival Linfield College. Game time at Cone Field House is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).