DeLong Earns Triple-Double, as Bearcats Roll Past Caltech, 81-47

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Jojo DeLong (Sr., PG, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) earned a triple-double and Kylie Towry (Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) scored 27 points on a school record nine 3-pointers, as Willamette University routed California Institute of Technology, 81-47, on Friday, Nov. 21 in the first game of the Grand Classic at Cone Field House.

DeLong achieved 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 28 minutes played. Towry finished 9 of 14 on 3-pointers. Katie Kalugin (Sr., G, Woodburn, OR/Woodburn HS) scored 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.

Kristin Anderson scored a team-high 11 points for Caltech. Stephanie Wong added 10 points, while Kate Lewis scored nine points for the Beavers.

Willamette improved to 2-1 on the season. Caltech, playing its first game of the season, fell to 0-1. The Grand Classic will continue on Saturday, Nov. 22, when the Bearcats host University of California, Santa Cruz at 4 p.m. (PST). Caltech will play at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., on Saturday, also at 4 p.m.

The Bearcats converted 16 of 42 three-points attempts during the game. Willamette does not have a list of single game team records, but it is likely that the Bearcats set school records for 3-pointers made and attempted. Both are definitely team highs during the past 14 seasons, starting with 2001-02.

In Friday's game, WU led 8-5 after Towry hit her second 3-pointer with 15:10 left in the first half. Caltech scored the next four points to take a 9-8 lead and eventually held a 16-14 advantage following a free throw by Anderson with 9:30 on the clock.

Willamette answered with a 13-0 run, including two 3-pointers by DeLong and two layups by Kalugin, to build a 27-16 lead with 5:13 remaining in the half.

After Wong sank a jump shot for Caltech at the 4:33 mark to cut the lead to 27-18, Willamette scored the final 12 points of the half. Six of the points were scored by Towry on two 3-pointers. Including the earlier run, the Bearcats closed out the half by outscoring the Beavers 25-2 for a 39-18 advantage.

At halftime, DeLong was well on her way to her triple-double. She had 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists at the break. Towry scored 12 points -- all on 3-pointers -- in the first half.

Caltech tallied the first four points of the second half, as Lewis and Wong each sank two free throws. Willamette responded with another big run, outscoring the Beavers 21-2 for a 60-24 lead with 11:52 remaining in he game. Willamette scored 10 consecutive points to start the run and then added 11 more following a Caltech field goal.

The run by the Bearcats started with a trio of 3-pointers by Towry, who added two more 3-pointers before the offensive surge was completed. Kalugin scored six points during the run, while DeLong earned four assists.

Towry subbed out of the game for the final time with 13:25 remaining in the second half. DeLong, who played all 20 minutes in the first half, left the game with 12:26 to go. Kalugin went to the bench with 11:24 on the clock.

Willamette's bench scored 26 points during the game. Racyne Parker (Fr., Klamath Falls, OR/Henley HS) led the way with nine points, while Ellie Phillips (Fr., G, Lebanon, OR/Lebanon HS) scored seven.

The Bearcats shot 43.5% for the game (30 of 69) and made 5 of 8 free throws (62.5%). Caltech connected on just 29.5% of its field goals (13 of 44), including 2 for 9 on three-pointers. The Beavers hit 19 of 26 free throws (73.1%). Willamette claimed a 45-30 rebounding margin and forced Caltech into 20 turnovers.