Watts Earns a Double-Double with 22 Points and 11 Boards in Loss to L&C

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Jonathan Watts (Sr., W, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) of Willamette University registered a double-double by scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the Bearcats against Lewis & Clark College at Cone Field House on Friday, Dec. 2. The Pioneers scored the game's first 10 points and led throughout the contest on their way to a 105-85 win. L&C improved to 3-3 overall, 1-1 in the NWC. Willamette, playing its NWC opener, slipped to 2-4 on the season, 0-1 in the NWC.

Watts was 7 of 10 from the field, including a pair of 3-point shots, and tacked on a 6-for-7 performance at the free throw line. Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) led the Bearcats in scoring with 24 points for his fifth double-digit effort of the season and his third game with more than 20 points. He was 8 of 14 on field goals and matched Watts with a 6-or-7 effort at the line.

Josiah Frank (So., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) earned eight points and four assists for the Bearcats. Boydell and Mason Hoffman (Jr., F, Sammamish, WA/Seattle Preparatory School) each hauled down four rebounds.

Brenden Patrick scored 30 points and hit 14 of 19 field goals to pace the Pioneers. He scored 17 points in the first half. Patrick also finished with a team-high five rebounds, plus four assists and four steals. Khalil Glover-Dodson added 18 points and was 8 for 11 from the field, while Nikko Echalas tallied 17 points and supplied six assists. Jack Henderson scored 12 points and Ryan Trunkett chipped in with 11 points.

The Pioneers shot 62.3% for the game (43 of 69), including 38.9% on 3-point attempts (7 for 18). L&C was 12 of 16 on free throws. Willamette shot 54.4% overall (31 of 57) and made 6 of 21 three-pointers (28.6%). The Bearcats connected on 17 of 23 free throws (73.9%). WU ended the game with a 35-22 rebounding margin, including a 14-7 edge in offensive boards.

L&C's 10-0 start in just over two minutes following the opening tipoff included one 3-pointer each by Ryan Trunkett and Jack Henderson. Frank earned WU's first basket on a driving layup with 17:37 remaining in the half. Two free throws by Boydell cut the margin to 10-4, and the Bearcats also pulled within six points at 13-7 and 15-9. The Pioneers regained a 10-point cushion at 19-9 on a layup by Patrick at the 14:38 mark.

Willamette moved as close as 21-14 on a traditional three-point play by Hoffman with 12:41 left. The next five points went to L&C, but the Bearcats rallied to within five points on two occasions, including 34-29 after a rebound and score by Meelad Doroodchi (Jr., F, Mooresville, NC/Pine Lake Preparatory) with 6:17 to go. L&C concluded the half with a 20-11 run for a 54-40 lead.

The Bearcats trailed 63-50 after a layup by Doroodchi at the 17:11 mark of the second half, but the Pioneers followed with eight consecutive points for a 71-50 advantage at 71-50 with 14:23 to play. A bit later, Watts completed a three-point play with a driving layup and a foul shot to cut the margin to 76-58 at the 13:11 mark. L&C tacked on the next nine points to pull away.

Up next for Willamette is a home game against George Fox University on Saturday, Dec. 3. Game time at Cone Field House is set for 6 p.m. (PST).