Boise State Defeats Bearcats in Exhibition Game for Willamette

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

BOISE, Idaho -- Boise State University shot 56.1% from the field on its way to a 100-36 victory over Willamette University on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at Taco Bell Arena. Boise State, which competes in NCAA Division I, improved to 4-4 on the season. The game was an exhibition for Willamette, which competes in NCAA Division III.

Lonnie Jackson led the Broncos with 19 points, while James Webb, III scored 13 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Also reaching double figures in scoring for BSU were Chandler Hutchison with 17 points and Paris Austin with 16 points.

Nico Troplent (So., W, Los Angeles, CA/Cathedral HS) was Willamette's top scorer with 14 points. Casey Thornton (So., F, Santa Rosa, CA/Maria Carrillo HS) contributed six points.

Boise State connected on 37 of 66 field goals and made 11 of 28 three-pointers (39.3%). The Broncos hit 15 of 24 free throws (62.5%). Willamette shot just 22.8% from the field (13 of 57), including 8 of 34 (23.5%) on 3-pointers. The Bearcats made 2 of 3 free throws.

The Broncos, who recently lost to Michigan State University by just 10 points and fell to the University of Arizona by nine points, attained a 49-26 rebounding margin against the Bearcats. In addition to Webb's 10 boards, BSU also benefited from seven rebounds by Hutchison and six by Austin.

A trio of 3-point shots, including two by Webb, led Boise State out to a 9-5 lead with 17:41 left in the first half. The 3-pointers offset a trifecta by Troplent and a layup by Brendon McCullough (So., G, San Antonio, TX/Home Schooled).

Boise State scored the next 11 points to complete a 14-0 run and take a 20-5 advantage at the 12:29 mark. Hutchison, who was 8 of 10 on field goals during the game, scored the final five points of the run on two layups and a foul shot. Troplent ended the run with a layup for the Bearcats, but BSU countered with five points for a 25-7 lead.

The Bearcats got back within 27-12 on a layup by Jameson Willems (Fr., F, Billings, MT/Skyview HS) with 9:55 on the clock, but never got closer. The Broncos held a 52-21 margin at halftime.

Troplent finished the game 5 of 12 from the field and 4 for 9 on 3-point shots. He led the Bearcats with 25 minutes played. Troplent, Brandon Luedtke (Sr., F, Meridian, ID/Mountain View HS) and Jared Baumgartner (Jr., W, Albany, OR/Crescent Valley HS) each grabbed four rebounds.

Willamette will open Northwest Conference action on Friday, Dec. 4 at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Game time is set for 8 p.m. (PST). The Bearcats will return home on Saturday, Dec. 5 to take on NWC rival Pacific Lutheran University at Cone Field House starting at 6 p.m.