Willamette Battles Back in Fourth Quarter, before Whitworth Wins, 80-75

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University trailed Whitworth University by 13 points with 9:45 remaining, but the Bearcats fought back to get within four points four times in the final 3:49, before the Pirates held on for an 80-75 Northwest Conference victory on Saturday, Feb. 8 at Cone Field House. Whitworth upped its record to 12-9 on the season, while Willamette fell to 11-10. Both teams ended the game with 5-7 records in the NWC.

The Pirates were in front 57-44 after Macey Morales completed a traditional three-point play 15 seconds into the fourth quarter. An 8-2 run by the Bearcats that ended with a layup by Ava Kitchin (Fy., F, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) cut the margin to 59-52 with 7:22 to go. Willamette pulled within five points at 62-57 following a layup and foul shot by Kitchin at the 6:01 mark. The play included a superb pass by Amanda Carpenter (Jr., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) from just outside the free throw line down to Kitchin near the low block

Willamette moved as close as 65-61 with 3:49 remaining on a pair of free throws by Carpenter. Later, Willamette reduced the deficit to four points on a jumper in the paint by Sami Riggs (Fy., G, La Verne, CA/Bonita HS) with 2:08 on the clock, on a layup by Kitchin with 1:35 to play, and on a 3-pointer by Hopkins with 10 seconds left that reduced the Pirates' lead to 76-72.

The Bearcats scored 31 points in the fourth quarter, but Whitworth nearly kept pace with 26 points. The Pirates helped their cause by sinking 15 of 19 free throws in the final quarter, including 8 for 8 in the last 27 seconds. Willamette shot 57.9% from the field (11 of 19) in the fourth quarter, while hitting 7 of 8 free throws.

Kitchin topped Willamette with a double-double, as she set career highs with 21 points and 10 rebounds. It was the eighth time she has scored in double figures this year. On Saturday, she scored 15 points in the fourth quarter. 

Also reaching double figures for the Bearcats were Kassin Hopkins (Sr., Connell, WA/Connell HS/Bellevue College) and Lucy Morrill (Sr./Jr., G, Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS). Hopkins tallied 16 points and sank a trio of 3-point baskets. Morrill was 6 of 11 from the field. Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Fy., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds lead all players. Carpenter finished with seven points and five assists.

Quincy McDeid from Whitworth led all scorers with 26 points. She was 6 of 16 from the field, including 4 of 9 on 3-pointers. She converted 10 of 12 free throws, including 9 of 10 in the fourth quarter. Megan Dorney provided the Pirates with 21 points, nine boards and four assists. Sydney Abbott earned a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with five assists.

A 3-pointer by Hopkins and a layup by Elizabeth Logsdon (Sr., F, McMinnville, OR/McMinnville HS) gave Willamette a 5-0 lead just 1:14 after the opening tipoff. Whitworth tied the score at 5-5 a bit later following a layup from Dorney. Riggs scored next for the Bearcats on a fast-break basket with 6:45 left in the quarter for a 7-5 edge. McDeid sank a 3-pointer to start a 9-2 run by the Pirates, who took a 14-9 lead when Talia Brandner hit a jumper as the clock reached the two-minute mark. Willamette pulled within 16-15 at the end of the quarter.

Kitchin provided Willamette with a 17-16 advantage on a fast-break layup with 8:49 remaining in the half. The Bearcats were in front 20-18 at about a minute later on a 3-pointer from Morrill. Whitworth tied the score on a basket by Sydney Abbott, which started a 7-0 run that left the Pirates with a 25-20 lead at the 3:35 mark. At halftime, Whitworth was ahead 33-26.

Willamette trailed 41-33 with 6:41 to go in the third quarter, but a 3-pointer by Madison Ballard (So., G, Monroe, OR/Monroe HS) and a jumper by Morrill cut the margin to 41-38 with 5:14 on the clock. The Bearcats trailed by just three points two more times in the quarter, at 55-42 with 3:13 left and at 47-44 with 2:38 to play. Whitworth scored the last seven points of the quarter to increase the margin to 10 points.

The Bearcats shot 43.8% on field goals (28 of 64) and finished with one more field goal and one more 3-pointer than the Pirates. Whitworth held an eight-point scoring edge at the line, as the Pirates sank 21 of 28 attempts (75.0%), while the Bearcats went 13 of 17 (76.5%). Whitworth was successful on 40.9% of its shots from the field (27 of 66).

Each team grabbed 40 rebounds, and both teams earned 15 second-change points. Whitworth held a slim 36-34 edge in points scored in the paint. Led by Kitchin's 21 points, Willamette scored 33 points off the bench. The Pirates received just five points off the bench.

Willamette will play nearby rival Linfield College on Friday, Feb. 14 at Cone Field House. Game time is set for 6 p.m. (PST).