Bearcats Shoot 50%, Hit 11 of 23 Three-Pointers, to Defeat Walla Walla, 83-55

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University shot 50.0% for the game, including 11 of 23 on 3-point shots, as the Bearcats rolled past Walla Walla University, 83-55, ion Sunday, Nov. 10 at Cone Field House. The Bearcats, who compete in NCAA Division III and the Northwest Conference, evened their record at 1-1 with the non-conference win. Walla Walla, a member of the NAIA and the Cascade Collegiate Conference, slipped to 0-2.

Accurate shooting and 14 offensive rebounds helped Willamette scored 20 or more points in all four quarters. The Bearcats turned a 22-17 lead after the first period into a 42-25 lead at halftime and a 62-36 lead after three quarters. For the game, Willamette was 28 of 56 on field goals, while Walla Walla went 22 of 57 (38.6%). The Wolves made 8 of 27 three-pointers (29.6%).

Sami Riggs (Fy., G, La Verne, CA/Bonita HS) led the Bearcats with 17 points and was 6 for 8 from the field, while Madison Ballard (Fr., G, Monroe, OR/Monroe HS) contributed 15 points and hit 5 of 7 three-point shots. Elizabeth Logsdon (Sr., F, McMinnville, OR/McMinnville HS) and Kassin Hopkins (Sr., G, Connell, WA/Connell HS/Bellevue College) each contributed 10 points for Willamette.

Hopkins also earned five rebounds and five assists. Amanda Carpenter (Jr., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) supplied Willamette with seven points, seven rebounds and three assists. Drew Farmer (Sr., PG, Brookings, OR/Brookings-Harbor HS) earned five points, five boards and six assists.

Carolina Montes of Walla Walla scored 18 points to lead the Wolves. She was 8 of 14 on field goals. Celina Ewing tacked on 13 points and Jaliyah Casem recorded 12 points and five boards. Isabella Robles produced seven points and six boards.

The teams were tied at 7-7 with 7:12 left in the first quarter. Willamette tallied the next five points to grab a 12-7 lead. The margin reached 17-9 at the 4:15 mark when Hopkins sank a 3-point shot for the Bearcats.

Just over two minutes into the second quarter, the Bearcats held a 28-23 lead after a 3-pointer by Robles of Walla Walla. The Bearcats answered with a 12-0 run for a 40-23 advantage with 2:49 to go in the half. Four Bearcats scored during the run, with Riggs supplying five points on a layup and a 3-pointer and Ballard also hitting a 3-point shot.

WU led by 17 points at halftime. Walla Walla, which shot 50% in the first quarter (8 of 16), hit only 3 of 16 shots (18.8%) in the second quarter. Willamette was 14 of 27 from the field in the first half (51.9%), including 7 of 11 from 3-point range (63.6%).

The Wolves earned five of the first seven points in the second half on a layup by Casem and a 3-pointer by Ewing to pull within 44-30. Willamette went on a 13-4 surge that increased the lead to 23 points at 57-34 with 3:07 left in the third period.

Willamette double-digit effort on the offensive glass helped the Bearcats claim a 44-28 overall rebounding advantage. On offense, the Bearcats registered 20 assists on their 28 baskets.

Up next for the Bearcats is a non-conference game against Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) on Friday, Nov. 15 at Cone Field House. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. (PST).