Five Bearcats Score in Double Figures against the University of Portland

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's basketball team had five players earn double-digit scoring on Saturday, Nov. 25 in an exhibition game for the Bearcats against the University of Portland at the Chiles Center. The game counted for the Pilots, who defeated Willamette, 107-84, to improve to 4-2 overall. The Bearcats remained 2-3 on the season.

Portland competes in NCAA Division I. Willamette is a member of NCAA Division III.

Gavin Weisweaver (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Vallivue HS/Treasure Valley CC) led WU with 16 points and hit four 3-point shots. Jack Boydell (Grad., W, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) and Anujan Tennathur (Fy., G, Cupertino, CA/Saint Francis HS) each contributed 12 points. Caleb Moore (So., G, Wadley, GA/Washington County HS/Bard College) and Josiah Frank (Jr., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) both tallied 10 points.

Boydell and D'Ante Dean (Jr., F, Nassau, Bahamas/British Columbia Christian Acad./Peninsula College) tied for the Bearcats' team-high with seven rebounds, while Will Hurst (Fy., G, Washington, D.C./Episcopal HS) grabbed six boards. Moore produced seven assists and Weisweaver earned two steals.

For Portland, Alimamy Koroma scored a game-high 23 points and was 9 of 12 from the field. Tyler Robertson followed with 17 points and six assists, while Chris Austin chipped in 16 points for the Pilots. Tyler Harris recorded 15 points and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. Vasilije Vucinic added nine points and matched Harris with seven boards.

The Pilots shot 54.3% on field goals (38 of 70) and made 16 of 36 three-point attempts (44.4%). Willamette connected on 31 of 75 shots (41.3%), including 12 of 30 on 3-pointers (40.0%).

Willamette used a 3-point basket by Weisweaver, a jump shot by Gavin Rippere (Sr., F, Salinas, CA/Salinas HS/Clark College), and a driving layup by Moore, to take a quick 7-0 lead with 18:13 remaining in the first half. A bit later, the Bearcats owned an 11-7 lead after Dean hit a pair of free throws with 15:41 on the clock. WU soon claimed a 14-10 advantage on a 3-pointer by Frank at the 15:07 mark.

Portland answered with an 8-0 surge for an 18-14 lead. The run began with a layup by Koroma and ended with a hook shot by Koroma with 12:51 to go in the half. WU cut the margin to 18-16 with a jumper by Rippere, but the Pilots tallied the next six points to increase their lead to 24-16. Moore scored next for Willamette on a driving layup, but 3-pointers by Robertson and Koroma put the Pilots in front 30-18 with just less than 10 minutes left in the half.

Another 7-0 run by the Bearcats cut the lead to 30-25 with 8:53 to play following a floating jump shot by Tennathur. Later, the Pilots grabbed a 41-29 on a layup by Vucinic with 6:12 to go. Portland gained its largest lead of the half at 50-37 with 2:20 on the clock as Koroma hit two free throws. The Pilots were in front 52-40 at halftime.

The Bearcats opened the second half with a layup from Weisweaver. Portland went on to take a 58-44 lead, but Weisweaver cut the margin to 11 points with a 3-point basket at the 18:54 mark. Portland countered with a 10-0 run for a 68-47 advantage after Harris sank a jump shot with 17:07 left. Willamette scored next on a layup by Moore, but the Pilots prevented the Bearcats from significantly closing the lead.

In the final game stats, the Pilots held a 44-38 rebounding margin. Portland also held minimal leads for scoring in the paint (42-36), points off turnovers (12-9), fast-break points (18-13), and bench scoring (47-41). Willamette led 9-5 in second-chance points after building an 8-5 edge in offensive rebounds, and the Bearcats committed nine turnovers while Portland lost the ball 10 times.

Willamette will begin Northwest Conference action on Friday, Dec. 1, when the Bearcats take on Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. Game time is set for 8 p.m. PST.