Bearcats Hold Lutes to Four Points in Final Seven Minutes to Rally for 64-61 Win

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

PARKLAND, Wash. -- Willamette University's defense limited Pacific Lutheran University to just four points in the final seven minutes, as the Bearcats rallied from a four-point deficit to defeat the Lutes, 64-61, in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday, Jan. 29. The Bearcats upped their record to 12-6 on the season, 4-5 in the NWC. Pacific Lutheran fell to 6-13 overall, 2-8 in the NWC.

The Lutes led 57-53 after Ionna Price hit two free throws with 7:12 remaining, before Willamette closed the game with an 11-4 run. Alex Wert (Jr., F, Spokane, WA/St. George's HS) started the decisive run with a layup. Megan Abdo of PLU sank 1 of 2 free throws with 6:31 left, giving the Lutes a 58-55 edge.

PLU did not score again until only five seconds remained on the game clock.

In between, the Bearcats tallied seven unanswered points. Marisa Hamilton (Jr./So., F, Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) cut the lead to a single point with a layup at the 4:41 mark. Willamette then took a 60-58 lead on a 3-point shot by Kylie Towry (Jr./So., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) with 3:41 to go.

Both teams went scoreless for more than three minutes. Hamilton was fouled with 19 seconds left and ended the drought by hitting 1 of 2 free throws. After Abdo missed a layup with 11 seconds on the clock, Hamilton rebounded the ball and was fouled again two seconds later. She missed the first free throw, but made the second to give WU a 62-58 advantage.

Price put in a 3-point shot for PLU with five seconds left to pull the Lutes within 62-61. Whitney Anderson (So., G, Willamina, OR/Willamina HS) of Willamette was fouled with four seconds to go. She converted both free throws to create the final margin.

Towry led all scorers with 16 points. She was 6 of 12 from the field, including 4 of 9 on 3-point shots. She also grabbed six rebounds, earned four assists and had one blocked shot and one steal.

Hamilton tacked on 14 points and grabbed four boards, while Anderson earned 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Wert hauled down seven boards to tie Anderson for team-high honors. Ashley Evans (So., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) provided six assists and five rebounds.

PLU placed four players in double figures, led by Abdo with 15 points. Price and Samantha Kelleigh each contributed 12 points. Kaelyn Voss finished with 10 points. Abdo topped the Lutes with seven rebounds, while Voss, Price and Anna Hurd each hauled in five caroms.

The Lutes surged out to a 24-16 lead in the first quarter. Willamette led 4-2, but PLU scored the next six points. After Towry sank a 3-pointer for WU at the 5:36 mark, the Lutes answered with a 7-0 run for a 15-7 lead with 3:45 on the clock. Kelleigh recorded the final five points of the run with a jump shot and a 3-pointer.

Willamette battled back within 19-16 following a jumper by Anderson with 1:48 left in the quarter. The Lutes added the final five points of the period.

PLU started the second quarter with an 8-4 run that extended the Lutes' advantage to 32-20 following a 3-point basket by Voss with 7:03 remaining. Just under three minutes later, PLU held a 38-27 lead on a jumper by Voss.

The Bearcats responded with a 9-0 run to end the half. Mary Eckenrode (So., PG, Higley, AZ/Highland HS) started the outburst with a 3-pointer. Towry added a jumper and Hamilton supplied a layup to cut the margin to 38-34 with 2:09 left. Hamilton tallied the final points of the half on a layup with 59 seconds to go.

WU combined with the Lutes for two ties and five lead changes in the third quarter. The Bearcats owned the largest lead of the period at 49-44 with 5:26 on the clock after Towry sank a 3-point shot. Pacific Lutheran regained the lead briefly at 50-49, but Hamilton scored the next four points. Kelleigh hit a 3-pointer for PLU with seven seconds left to tie the score at 53-53.

The fourth quarter featured just 19 total points, with Willamette gaining an 11-8 advantage. Pacific Lutheran registered the first two points on a layup by MacKenzie Cooper just seconds into the quarter. The Lutes added Price's two free throws with 7:12 left, before missing seven consecutive field goal attempts.

For the game, Willamette shot 42.6% from the field (26 of 61) and made 8 of 22 three-point shots (36.4%). The Lutes connected on 55.6% of their shots in the first half (15 of 27), but faded to 29.0% in the second half (9 of 31). PLU was successful on 6 of 16 three-pointers (37.5%).

The Bearcats achieved a 40-34 rebounding margin and earned a 21-11 advantage in second-chance points. Willamette also recorded a 23-16 lead in bench scoring.

Willamette will return home to take on Pacific University in NWC action on Saturday, Jan. 30. Game time at Cone Field House is scheduled for 4 p.m. (PST).

It will be Feed the Dream night as part of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration. Each fan who brings at least two canned food items to the game will be admitted for free. Donated food items will be presented to the Marion/Polk County Food Share.