Plumer Ranks 14th in Steals per Game to Lead Bearcats on NCAA National Stats
By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Daniel Plumer (Fy., PG, North Las Vegas, NV/Democracy Prep) of Willamette University finished the 2019-20 men's basketball season ranked 14th on the NCAA Division III national statistics in steals. His ranking is one of several marks for the Bearcats in team and individual categories recorded by the NCAA.
Plumer averaged 2.52 steals per game to earn his 14th place ranking. His average also moved him into second on Willamette's all-time list for steals per game in a season. He was 17th in the nation in total steals with 63 takeaways in Willamette's 25 games. In addition, Plumer was 13th in field goal attempts with 359 shots during the season.
Ben Sutton (Jr., F, Seattle, WA/Ingraham HS) was ranked 99th in NCAA Division III in offensive rebounds per game. He brought down an average of 2.8 offensive boards per contest.
Sutton's efforts on the offensive glass contributed to the Bearcats ranking 73rd in the nation with 12.16 offensive rebounds per game. Willamette was 101st in steals per game (7.8). The Bearcats were 131st in 3-point field goals attempts with 666 and were 137th in total steals with 196. A total of 416 teams were included in the team rankings.
Plumer and Sutton were two of several Bearcats who provided Willamette with strong performances throughout the season. Plumer led the way with 15.7 points per game to rank eighth in the Northwest Conference. Also averaging in double figures were Cade Whicker (Fy., F, Fruit Heights, UT/Davis HS) with 12.7 points per game and Sutton with 10.9 points per game. Jonathan Watts (So., W, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS), who missed all but four games due to an injury, averaged 9.8 points per contest, while Justus Eaglesmith (Jr., G, Sparks, NV/Spanish Springs HS) contributed 8.8 points per game.
Sutton was Willamette's top rebounder and ranked third in the NWC with 7.2 rebounds per game. Whicker followed with 6.7 rebounds per contest. Sutton grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds against Pacific University on Feb. 22, while Whicker hauled down a season-high 15 boards against the University of Puget Sound on Jan. 25.
In addition, Sutton topped the offensive chart with 51.4% field goal shooting, which placed him 11th in the NWC. Wicker led the way with 45 three-point baskets and shot 37.2% from 3-point range to rank first on the team among players with at least 25 three-point attempts. Eaglesmith made 44 three-pointers and Plumer added 43. Alec Barba (Jr., G, Dallas, OR/Central HS) made 33 three-pointers and shot 35.5% from 3-point distance. Jack Boydell (Fy., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) scored on 30 three-point shots.
Boydell and Plumer each had high-scoring games for the Bearcats. Boydell put through 32 points at Pacific on Jan. 24 and produced 25 points at Pacific Lutheran University on Feb. 15. Plumer recorded 30 points at Nebraska Wesleyan University on Nov. 30, accumulated 28 points versus Puget Sound on Jan. 25, and earned 23 points in back-to-back games against Pacific Lutheran on Jan. 17 and Linfield College on Jan. 18.
Plumer ranked first for Willamette with 62 assists, including a season-high seven assists versus Corban on Nov. 16. Whicker provided 49 assists and Sutton earned 44 assists. Plumer also led the team with 63 steals, while Whicker had 29 steals and Sutton registered 22. The Bearcats' 7.84 steals per game were sixth on WU's all-time list.
Sutton blocked 25 shots during the season. Ryan Peterson (Jr., P, Edmonds, WA/Edmonds-Woodway HS) blocked 12 shots.