Willamette to Play Warner Pacific Tonight

By Timothy Walsh, Athletics Communications Writer

SALEM, ORE. -- Coming off a decisive 84-70 victory over Concordia University (Ore.) on Wednesday night, Willamette University's women's basketball team will make the short drive to Portland, Ore., tonight for a road game against Warner Pacific College. Tipoff at C.C. Perry Gym is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PST).

Willamette is 1-2 on the year, having suffered narrow losses to the University of La Verne and the State University of New York at Geneseo prior to the victory over Concordia.

Warner Pacific is 2-4, and has lost three games in a row. Like Concordia, the Knights compete in the NAIA Cascade Collegiate Conference. In the CCC's preseason poll, Warner Pacific was picked to finish fifth, while Concordia was selected seventh.

A live video stream of the game will be provided by Warner Pacific.Live stats will also be available.

The Bearcats last faced off against Warner Pacific on Dec. 11, 2009. The game was tied at 37 at halftime, but the Knights outscored Willamette 45-13 in the second half to grab an 82-50 win.

In the win against Concordia, Willamette shot 58.3% for the game (35 of 60) and placed four players in double figures. Jojo DeLong (Jr., G, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) nearly registered a triple-double with 25 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds.

Katie Kalugin (Jr., G, Woodburn, OR/Woodburn HS) added 20 points and seven rebounds for the Bearcats, while Rebecca Josephson (Sr., G, Fair Oaks, CA/Del Campo HS) scored 14 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

Kyle Towry (Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) provided Willamette with 12 points and six boards.

The Bearcats took charge with a stellar first half and led 47-31 at halftime. DeLong recorded nine assists in the first 20 minutes, while Kalugin hit 8 of 10 field goals during the half. Willamette also connected on 6 of 10 three-pointers, with two each from DeLong, Towry, and Alexa Beeson (Sr., G, Portland, OR/Lincoln HS).

In the second half, the Bearcats led by as many as 21 points while Concordia got no closer than 12. WU outrebounded the Cavaliers 41-29 and earned 22 assists.