Bearcats Roll Past Westminster, 109-74, as Weisweaver Earns 20 Points

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The Willamette University Bearcats zoomed out to an 11-3 lead in the first three minutes of the game and never slowed down in a 109-74 rout of Westminster College (Mo.) during the 2023 Webster Tip-Off Classic at Grant Gym on Sunday, Nov. 19. With the victory, Willamette improved to 2-3 on the season as the Bearcats completed a three-game road trip. Westminster dropped to 0-5.

Gavin Weisweaver (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Vallivue HS/Treasure Valley CC) topped a busy Willamette scoresheet with 20 points. He was 7 of 14 overall and 5 of 9 on 3-pointers. Weisweaver added four rebounds and five assists. Gavin Rippere (Sr., F, Salinas, CA/Salinas HS/Clark College) and Jack Boydell (Grad., W, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) each tacked on 15 points. Rippere hauled down seven rebounds and Boydell grabbed five boards. Boydell was 5 for 6 on field goals, including 5 for 5 from 3-point range.

Josiah Frank (Jr., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) provided 12 points and six assists for the Bearcats, while Anujan Tennathur (Fy., G, Cupertino, CA/Saint Francis HS) added 10 points in 11 minutes. Kahiau Bruhn (So., W, Waimanola, HI/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama) just missed double figures as he scored nine points to go with six rebounds.

"It was a great way to wrap up the trip to Missouri today," said Willamette Head Men's Basketball Coach Mike Lenahan. "What really stood out the last two days was how together we played and our defense. When you can hold opponents to under 40% from the field, you give yourself a great chance to win. When that's coupled with a hot shooting performance, you get the type of decisive win we had today."

The Bearcats shot 55.6% for the game (40 of 72) and went 18 of 34 (52.9%) on 3-point attempts. WU's solid shooting included an 11-for-13 effort (84.6%) at the free throw line. Meanwhile, Willamette limited the Blue Jays to just 36.6% success on field goals (26 of 71) and 28.0% on 3-pointers (7 of 25). Westminster was 15 for 27 (55.6%) on free throws.

WU also gained a 45-37 rebounding edge and put up a 44-26 scoring advantage in the paint. The Bearcats held a 24-14 rebounding lead at halftime.

Westminster was led by Aaron Poage with 15 points, while Brennan Jeffries scored 13 points. Gavin Hendrix contributed 12 points. Walker Gohring registered a team-high five rebounds. Elijah Powell was credited with four assists.

The Bearcats' opening run began with a fast-break layup by Rippere. After the Blue Jays took a 3-2 lead on a 3-pointer by Jack Fessenden, WU tallied nine unanswered points as Weisweaver hit a trio of 3-point shots. Westminster cut the lead to five points twice, including 14-9 with 15:36 left in the half after Brysan Jeffries sank a 3-pointer. Willamette countered with a 20-7 run that featured 3-pointers by Boydell and Tennathur, and finished with a traditional three-point play by Rippere for a 34-16 lead at the 9:36 mark.

Willamette eventually claimed a 26-point lead at 55-29 after another 3-pointer from Boydell with 1:12 on the clock. Westminster pulled within 55-33 at halftime following baskets by Ben Oberlin and Hendrix. Boydell and Frank each had 12 points for the Bearcats at the break.

A 13-4 run outburst by the WU offense at the start of the second half, increased the Bearcats' lead to 68-37 with 17:03 on the clock. Ryder Hsiung (Jr., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) provided four points during the run. The Blue Jays earned the next four points on jumpers by Lee Verslues and Poage, but Weisweaver answered with a 3-pointer for WU. Westminster never got closer than 25 points in the second half.

The final 35-point difference was the largest margin of victory for the Bearcats since an 85-41 win over Portland Bible College on Nov. 11, 2022. Willamette is averaging 92.2 points per game this season. The Bearcats have connected on 51 three-pointer shots for an average of 10.2 three-pointers per game.

Willamette will take on the University of Portland on Saturday, Nov. 25 in Portland, Oregon, at 5 p.m. PST. It will be an exhibition game for the Bearcats but will count for the Pirates.