Willamette Falls to Puget Sound

SALEM, Ore. — Willamette (8-6, 3-2 NWC) fell to the University of Puget Sound (9-5, 4-0 NWC) 93-63 at Cone Field House on Saturday. Despite a strong start with 43 points in the first half, the Bearcats couldn't maintain the pace, scoring only 20 in the second. The Loggers capitalized with 50 points in the paint and a balanced attack in both halves to secure the victory.

Willamette and Puget Sound traded leads nine times in a tightly contested first half, with Puget Sound holding a narrow 46-43 advantage at the break. The Bearcats' aggressive play on the boards, resulting in 11 offensive rebounds, translated into 16 second-chance points, maintaining their competitiveness despite shooting only 38 percent from the field. Puget Sound capitalized on their efficient shooting, converting 63 percent of their field goals, and took advantage of Willamette's five turnovers to score six points off turnovers.

Puget Sound outscored Willamette 47-20 in the second half, leveraging a 50 percent shooting performance and a dominant presence on the boards with a 28-16 rebounding advantage. The Bearcats struggled offensively, converting just three of 28 field goals, including one of 13 from beyond the arc. The Loggers capitalized on turnovers, turning seven Willamette errors into 11 points, and maintained a strong free throw presence, hitting 17 of 20 attempts. At the conclusion of the game, the score stood at 93-63 in favor of Puget Sound.

Willamette holds an 8-6 overall record and stands at 3-2 in NWC play. Puget Sound is 9-5 overall and remains undefeated at 4-0 in the NWC.

Looking ahead, the Bearcats will face Linfield University on Tuesday, Jan. 13, in McMinnville, Oregon. The game is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m.