Bearcats Set to Play Men's Basketball at Corban on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will take on cross-town rival Corban University on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center on the Corban campus. Tipoff between the Bearcats of NCAA Division III and the Warriors from the NAIA, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (PST).

The Bearcats enter the game with a 1-2 record after rallying past California Institute of Technology for a 79-73 win on Saturday, Nov. 22. Willamette trailed 52-38 with 14:05 left in the game but used a 30-15 run to take a 68-67 lead with 2:32 remaining. The Bearcats led 72-67 entering the final minutes and then hit 7 of 10 free throws to secure the win.

Corban is 4-2 on the season. The Warriors split a pair of games during the Corban Classic this past weekend. Corban lost to Simpson University (Calif.) in the first round, 75-64, on Friday, Nov. 21, before defeating New Hope Christian College, 99-68, on Saturday, Nov. 22.

In Willamette's victory over Caltech, Brandon Luedtke (Jr., F, Meridian, ID/Mt. View HS) recorded his second consecutive double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He also contributed five steals, three assists and one blocked shot.

Luedtke also earned a double-double in a 73-63 loss to University of La Verne on Friday, Nov. 21. He scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against the Leopards.

Against Caltech, Luedtke was joined in double figures by Brendon McCullough(Fr., G, San Antonio, TX/Home Schooled) with 13 points and by Alex Brown (Sr., F, Happy Valley, OR/Clackamas HS) with 10 points. McCullough led the Bearcats with six assists, while Brown scored nine points in the final 7:12 of the game.

Luedtke is Willamette's leading scorer so far this season with 17.7 points per game. He is shooting 51.4% from the field (19 of 37) and is averaging 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. McCullough has averaged 11.3 points per game in Willamette's first three contests. He has converted 18 of 21 free throws (85.7%). McCullough also has provided 3.7 assists per game.

The leading scorer for Corban is Cyrus Ward (Jr., F) with 18.5 points per game on 55.8% field goal shooting (43 of 77) and 86.2% free throw shooting (25 of 29). Ward also leads the team with 10.5 rebounds per game.

Ward is one of five Warriors averaging double-digits in points. Jordan Carter (Sr., G) is scoring 16.2 points per game, while AJ Monterossi (Fr., G) is contributing 11.3 points per game. Caleb Herzberg (So., G) is earning 10.8 points per contest and Toby Roth (So., G) is recording 10.2 points per game.

Monterossi trails only Ward on the rebound chart, as he has grabbed 7.2 boards per game. Jeremiah Harris (Jr., F) has added 7.0 rebounds per game. The Warriors have outrebounded their opponents by 15.5 boards per contest (45.5 to 31.0).

Corban has hit 49.8% of its field goals, while shooting 38.4% (43 of 112). The Warriors have converted 85 of 123 free throws (69.1%).

After playing Corban, the Bearcats will prepare for a trip to the Colorado College Thanksgiving Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Bearcats will take on University of Dubuque (Iowa) on Friday, Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. MST/4 p.m. PST.

The Bearcats will play in either the consolation game or the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 29 against Colorado College or University of Northwestern (Minn.). The consolation game is set for 5 p.m. MST/4 p.m. PST with the championship game at 7 p.m. MST/6 p.m. PST.