Boydell Scores in Double Figures, but Bearcats Fall to Rival Linfield, 91-50

Written by Mark Colachico, Contributing Writer

SALEM, Ore. -- Despite seeing Jack Boydell (Fy., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) score in double figures for the seventh time in the last nine games, Willamette's men's basketball team could not overcome a pair of runs in each half by Northwest Conference rival Linfield College en route to suffering a 91-50 loss on Friday night, Feb. 14, inside Cone Field House.

The Bearcats, who fell to 1-21 overall and 0-13 in NWC contests, fell victim to a 16-0 run midway through the first half and a 24-2 run to open the second half, as the visiting Wildcats (17-5, 11-2 NWC) walked away with their fifth straight victory.

Boydell would lead the Bearcats in scoring with 12 points, as the first-year player has averaged nearly 13 points per game over the past four weeks that included a career-high 32 points against Pacific (Ore.) on January 24. Offensively, Boydell was aided by Cade Whicker (Fy., F, Fruits Heights, UT/Davis HS) and Ben Sutton (Jr., F, Seattle, WA/Ingraham HS) with seven points each, while four other Willamette players - Daniel Plumer (Fy., PG, North Las Vegas, NV/Democracy Preparatory Academy), Dylan Streett (So., W, Santa Barbara, CA/Bishop Diego HS), Joshua Perez (Fy., W, Los Angeles, CA/John Marshall HS), and Luke Lowe (Fy., W, Fresno, CA/Clovis West HS) - added five points apiece. On the boards, Sutton led the Bearcats with a game-high eight rebounds to go along with a team-high four assists by Plumer.

Linfield would see three players score in double figures, including a game-high 14 points off the bench by Aaron Baune. Along with Baune, Grant Gibb and Austin Hilton added 13 and 12 points, respectively, to go along with a team-high six rebounds each by Gibb and Dempsey Roggenbuck. Taylor Autencio would hand out a game-high five assists for the Wildcats to go along with eight points and four rebounds.

The game would begin as a back-and-forth battle with Willamette pulling within three points (16-13) on a three-pointer by Boydell with 14:26 on the clock. Linfield's lead would not get larger than eight points over the next five minutes, as the Bearcats got as close as five points (25-20) on a Boydell lay-in with 9:27 remaining in the first half. Unfortunately for Willamette, the visiting Wildcats would use a 16-0 run over the next four-and-a-half minutes pulling ahead 41-20 on a lay-in by Gibb with 5:03 left. Linfield would push its lead to 24 points at halftime following a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Baune, as the Wildcats took a 48-24 lead into intermission.

The second half would begin with Linfield increasing its lead to 38 points (62-24) via a 14-0 run over the opening six minutes, as Willamette would finally get on the board via a lay-in by Streett with 13:44 on the clock. Unfortunately, the Wildcats would push their run to 24-2 on a three-pointer by Braden Thorn that increased Linfield's lead to 72-26 with 11:37 left in the game. Over the game's final 11-plus minutes, Willamette would outscore their opponent by five points (24-19) but it was too little, too late for the host Bearcats en route to suffering the loss.

As a team, Willamette combined to shoot 17-for-63 (27.0%) from the field to go along with a 5-for-34 (14.7%) showing from beyond the three-point line and an 11-for-16 (68.8%) showing at the free throw line. On the other hand, Linfield would shoot 31-for-64 (48.4%) from the field, 16-for-32 (50.0%) from long distance, and 13-for-17 (76.5%) at the charity stripe.

Willamette will return to the hardwood tomorrow - Saturday, February 15 - against Northwest Conference foe Pacific Lutheran University beginning at 6 p.m. (PST) in Tacoma, Washington.