Farmer Hits Free Throw with 0.3 Left for 69-68 Exhibition Win over Wolves

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Drew Farmer (So., PG, Brookings, OR/Brookings-Harbor HS) hit the first of two free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining to break a 68-68 tie and send Willamette University to a 69-68 win over Western Oregon University in a women's basketball exhibition game on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Cone Field House. The game was played to raise funds for the American Red Cross Oregon Wildfire Fund.

Willamette competes in NCAA Division III and the Northwest Conference (NWC). The Wolves play in NCAA Division II and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC).

The Bearcats held a 68-65 lead after Elizabeth Logsdon (So., F, McMinnville, OR/McMinnville HS) sank 1 of 2 free throws with eight seconds left. WOU called tiimeout and advanced the ball to the front court. Shelby Snook connected on a 3-pointer for the Wolves with about four seconds left to tie the game.

Willamette used a timeout of its own to advance the ball following Snook's three-pointer. After receiving the inbounds pass on the right side of the court, Farmer drove to the baseline and was starting to head toward the basket when Jasmine Miller was called for a foul. Farmer converted the first of two free throws, but missed the second. Sydney Azorr of WOU grabbed the rebound, but the Wolves were out of timeouts and the game ended with Azorr still in Willamette's free throw lane.

Amanda Carpenter (Fr., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) topped Willamette with 18 points. Kylie Towry (Sr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) scored 12 points with a game-high four 3-point shots. Ashley Evans (Sr., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) earned 11 points for the Bearcts and hit a trio of 3-point shots. Logsdon registered eight points and six rebounds. Celine Gregoire (Sr./Jr., P, Woodburn, OR/ Woodburn Academy) also hauled down six boards.

Snook led Western Oregon with 26 points on 9 of 17 shooting. Maddy Pape contributed 19 points for the Wolves. Snook and Pape each sank three 3-point attempts. Azorr and Jasmine Miller each recorded nine rebounds.

Willamette dominated the first quarter. The Bearcats surged out to an 8-1 lead with Evans completing the early run by hitting back-to-back 3-pointers. A bit later, WU's lead was 11-3 with 3:23 on the clock following a 3-pointer by Whitney Anderson (Sr., G, Willamina, OR/Willamina HS).

The Wolves scored the next basket on a jumper by Taisha Thomas, but the Bearcats countered with 10 consecutive points for a 21-5 lead. WU led 24-7 at the end of the quarter after shooting 52.9% (9 of 17), including 6 of 9 on 3-pointers. Meanwhile, WOU connected on just 3 of 16 shots (18.8%) and went 0 for 5 from 3-point range.

The second quarter belonged to the Wolves, who outscored Willamette 26-12 to reduce the Bearcats' lead to 36-33 at halftime. Western Oregon opened the quarter with a 17-2 run that pulled the Wolves within 26-24 at the 3:36 mark. Snook finished the run with a 3-point basket. WU tallied the next four points for a 30-24 edge. Britanny Kochenderfer (Jr., G, Klamath Falls, OR/Henley HS/Idaho State Univ.) scored all four point with a free throw followed by a 3-point basket.

Willamette also led by six points at 36-30 following a pair of free throws by Carpenter with just seven seconds on the clock, but Page sank a 3-pointer with to seconds left in the half.

The second half was a battle, but the Wolves only held the lead once, at 37-36 on a jumper by Miller. Willamette answered with a 10-2 run for a 46-39 advantage with 6:33 remaining in the third quarter. WOU pulled a bit closer late in the period when Snook sank a 3-point to reduce WU's lead to 53-50 entering the fourth quarter.

A 3-pointer by Carpenter with 6:11 to go gave the Bearcats a 63-54 advantage. The Wolves gradually rallied by scoring the next nine points for a 63-63 tie after two free throws by Pape at the 2:18 mark. The teams were tied a gain with 54 seconds left following baskets by Logsdon for Willamette and Savannah Heugly for Western Oregon. Kochenderfer made a jumper for WU with 35 seconds on the clock for a 67-65 advantage.

Logsdon's free throw for the Bearcats and Snook's 3-pointer for WOU -- both in the final 10 seconds -- left the game tied once again before Farmer's winning shot from the charity stripe.

Willamette will play an exhibition game at the University of Portland on Sunday, Nov. 12. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (PST).