Willamette Returns to NWC Action after 8-3 Start to Season

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's basketball team returns to Northwest Conference action this weekend after completing non-conference play with a successful record for the second consecutive season. The Bearcats are currently 8-3, including 7-2 in non-conference games.

Last year, Willamette went 8-1 during its non-conference schedule. The Bearcats are 15-3 over the past two season in games outside the NWC.

The Bearcats are 1-1 in the NWC this season with a loss to Whitman College and a win over Whitworth University. Whitman is currently 11-0 overall and ranked #16 in the D3hoops.com Top 25.

Willamette's other losses this year were to Montana State University-Northern and to Carroll College (Mont.). MSU-Northern is ranked #11 in NAIA Division I and Carroll is ranked #25 in NAIA Division I. Willamette competes in NCAA Division III.

Up next for the Bearcats is a match-up with University of Puget Sound on Friday, Jan. 6 in Tacoma, Washington, at 6 p.m. (PST). Puget Sound is ranked #18 in the D3hoops.com Top 25. The Loggers are 10-1 overall and 2-0 in the NWC. Willamette will complete the road trip by taking on Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, Washington, on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 4 p.m.

Kylie Towry (Sr./Jr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) leads the Bearcats in scoring with 13.5 points per game.  Madi Andresen (So., C, Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS/Clackamas CC) has contributed 9.1 points per game.

Willamette's balanced scoring attack also includes Marisa Hamilton (Sr./Jr., F, Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) with 9.0 points per game, Sarah Heinly (Fr., G, Bend, OR/Summit HS) with 8.5 points per game, and Ashley Evans (Jr., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) with 8.0 points per game. The Bearcats are averaging 68.3 points per game while allowing 56.5 points per contest.

Andresen is the top rebounder with 5.2 boards per game. Celine Gregoire (Jr./So., P, Woodburn, OR/ Woodburn Academy) follows with 4.5 rebounds per contest, and Alex Wert (Sr., F, Spokane, WA/St. George's HS) is next with 4.3 rebounds per game.

Freshman Drew Farmer (PG, Brookings, OR/Brookings-Harbor HS) leads WU with 36 assists on the season. Towry has supplied 31 assists. Evans and Mary Eckenrode (Jr., G, Higley, AZ/Highland HS) each have provided 28 assists.

Willamette has been strong at protecting the ball. The Bearcats are ranked #1 in NCAA Division III out of 440 teams with just 11.2 turnovers per game. WU is third in assist-to-turnover ratio at +1.5, while Thomas More College (Ky.) leads the nation at +1.56.

The Bearcats are sixth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at 38.0% (101 of 266). They rank seventh in 3-point field goals made per game (9.2). The national leaders are Catholic University of America (Washington, DC) at 40.0% and North Central College (Ill.) with 14.1 three-pointers made per game.

In addition, the Bearcats are 38th in Division III with 16.8 assist per game. Willamette recorded a season-high 28 assists against Multnomah University in a 76-43 win on Jan. 2. The Bearcats have recorded 24 or more assists four times this season.

Farmer is ranked fourth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at +3.6. Miachaela Ware from Thomas More leads the way at +4.11.

Two Bearcats are ranked in the top 20 in 3-point field goal percentage. Towry is sixth at 47.1%  (33 of 70) and Heinly is 18th at 44.7%. Towry also is 16th in Division III with 3.0 three-pointers made per game. Her 33 successful 3-point attempts rank 17th overall.

Towry is Willamette's all-time leader with 187 career 3-pointers. Evans ranks 10th all-time at Willamette with 85 career 3-pointers.