Frank Leads Bearcats with 17 Points in Home Loss to Whitman

Salem, Ore. - Willamette Men's Basketball carried a 35-31 lead into halftime against the visiting Whitman College Blues but were not able to withstand a late second-half Whitman run and fell at home 82-65.  Josiah Frank led the Bearcats with 17 points, shooting 7 of 13 from the field, including 2 of 5 from beyond the arc.

The Bearcats jumped out to an early lead by scoring the first ten points of the game, the first basket a layup by Frank, and the next eight points from Kai Brown.  It wasn't until almost four minutes into the game that the Blues finally got on the scoreboard on a layup by Ali Efe Isik.  Whitman cut the Willamette lead to one point just a few minutes later, but a three-pointer by Ryder Hsiung put the Bearcats ahead by six at 22-16 just past the halfway point of the first half.  The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half and Kai Brown's layup sent Willamette to the break with a four-point lead.

The Blues scored the opening five points of the second half to pull ahead 36-35 but a layup by Frank quickly gave the Bearcats the lead back by one.  The next seven minutes saw four ties and several lead changes with a Kahiau Bruhn basket making the score 50-49 in favor of Whitman.  A 10-0 run by the Blues quickly made the score 60-49 and Willamette wasn't able to get closer than within nine points the rest of the way.  Another Whitman run, this time 9-0, put the visitors up 73-55 and the Blues went on to win 82-65.

Kai Brown and Kahiau Bruhn joined Frank in double figures, scoring 12 and 11 points respectively.  Bruhn and D'Ante Dean led Willamette in rebounding with seven, followed by Caleb Moore with five.  Dean also led the Bearcats in assists with three, a number equaled by Brown.

Willamette plays at home again on Saturday, February 8th, when they take on Whitworth University.  Tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 pm.