Willamette and L&C Battle in Second Half before Pioneers Win 94-83

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Willamette University and Lewis & Clark College spent most of the second half exchanging points during their Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 28, before the Pioneers used a 9-1 run to grab an 11-point lead with 2:11 remaining. L&C went on to defeat the Bearcats, 94-83, at the Pamplin Sports Center.

It was a strong effort by the Bearcats, who have battled injuries all season and have spent almost the entire year without returning starters Jonathan Watts (Sr., W, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) and Daniel Plumer (Sr., G, North Las Vegas, NV/Democracy Preparatory Academy). Plumer has missed the entire season and Watts has played in just six games, all in November and early December.

Multiple players stepped up for Willamette on Saturday. Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) scored 17 points to lead the Bearcats as he reached double figures for the 17th time this year. He has scored at least 17 points in 13 games. Ryder Hsiung (So., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) followed with 16 points against the Pioneers -- all in the second half. Josiah Frank (So., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS), who returned after missing three games due to an injury, tacked on 13 points.

Levi Basurto (Fy., W, Lahaina, HI/Maui Preparatory Academy) and Terry Sherman (So., F, Lake Charles, LA/St. Louis Catholic HS) both scored 10 points. Sherman also latched onto a team-high six rebounds. Kenny Wright Jr. (Jr., G, Dallas, TX/R.L. Turner HS) earned nine points and provided a team-high six assists.

"A great second half start got us the lead and then it was a back-and-forth battle and we came up short," Willamette Head Men's Basketball Coach Kip Ioane commented. "L&C's overall size leaned on us and the offensive boards they got were the difference in the game."

Boydell leads the Bearcats with 20.8 points per game and is second in the NWC in scoring behind L&C's Brenden Patrick, who has averaged 21.3 points. Boydell has scored 997 points in his WU career as he closes in on the 1,000-point mark. Willamette will take on Linfield University at Cone Field House on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (PST).

Leading scorers for L&C on Saturday were Grant Stewart with 22 points, Patrick with 18, and Khalil Glover-Dodson with 14. Sebastian DePrez added 12 points for the Pioneers. Lewis & Clark recorded a 40-24 rebounding edge, led by Ryan Trunkett with a game-high 10 boards. Patrick finished with six boards, and also registered five assists and four steals. Glover-Dodson also was credited with six caroms. The Pioneers attained a 17-5 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to a 22-6 margin in second-chance points.

With the win, Lewis & Clark improved to 12-7 overall, 6-4 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 5-13 on the season, 1-9 in the NWC.

The Bearcats zoomed out to a 10-4 lead in the first 3:21, starting with a 3-pointer by Boydell. The teams exchanged the next four baskets, including Boydell scoring on a layup and a second 3-pointer. Basurto concluded the run with a layup. L&C countered with an 8-0 run and held a 12-10 advantage following a fast-break layup by Jack Henderson. Willamette trailed 19-13 and 24-15, but tacked on six unanswered points to cut the margin to 24-21 at the 9:41 mark on a jumper by Wright Jr.

Lewis & Clark owned a 33-23 lead on a jump shot from Taien Jackson with 6:43 left. As in the second half, the teams exchanged baskets for the most part during the rest of the half, as the Pioneer's stayed in front by six to nine points. L&C was in front 45-38 at halftime.

WU put together an 8-2 run to open the second half, with Frank scoring on a 3-pointer to cut L&C's lead to 47-46. Later, the Bearcats went on another 8-2 surge to grab a 54-43 lead on a 3-pointer by Hsiung at the 15:16 mark. Hsiung also started the run with a 3-pointer. He was 4 for 4 from long range in the second half. The Pioneers regained the lead on their next possession with a layup by Stewart. Lewis & Clark never tailed again, but Willamette was within striking distance until the closing minutes. The Bearcats tailed by just three points at 74-71 with 4:51 remaining.

The Bearcats connected on 50.0% of their field goals (27 of 54) and hit 11 of 20 from 3-point range (55.0%). Willamette went 18 for 22 at the free throw line (81.8%). The Pioneers shot 50.7% from the field, but made just 3 of 16 attempts (18.8%) from behind the arc. L&C sank 17 of 26 free throws (65.4%).