Bearcats Nearly Rally from 10-Point Deficit before Whitworth Wins, 66-63

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Willamette University Bearcats rallied from a 10-point deficit with 5:25 remaining in the game, and moved within three points three times in the closing seconds, before Whitworth University won 66-63 in a Northwest Conference women's basketball match-up at the Whitworth Fieldhouse on Friday, Jan. 28. Megan River (So., G, Tumwater, WA/A.G. West Black Hills HS) and Ashley Collins (So., P, Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills HS) led the Bearcats with 10 points each. River was 5 for 5 from the field, while Collins went 4 for 5.

Willamette trailed 58-48 near the mid-point of the final quarter, but cut Whitworth's lead to four points 61-57 when Carolyn Ho (So., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) hit 1 of 2 free throws with 1:22 left. Whitworth added a free throw at the 42-second mark, but the Bearcats pulled as close as 62-59 on a layup by Amanda Carpenter (Grad., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) with 15 seconds to go.

Quiny McDeid sank two free throws three seconds later to give the Pirates a 64-59 edge. River tacked on a layup for the Bearcats with eight seconds left to reduce the margin to 64-51. McDeid was fouled with five seconds left, and hit both free throws for Whitworth. Ho made two free throws for Willamette to complete the scoring.

Whitworth improved to 8-11 overall, 3-7 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 9-8 on the season, 4-4 in the NWC. 

River and Collins were followed on the Willamette scoring chart by Sami Riggs (Jr., G, La Verne, CA/Bonita HS) with nine points and by Carpenter and Ho with eight points apiece. Ava Kitchin (So., F, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) and Morgan Yamane (Sr., F, Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake HS) each grabbed five rebounds, with Yamani also providing five assists. River and Ho matched each other with four assists. Ho led all players in the game with four steals.

Olivia Mayer topped Whitworth by scoring 16 points and hauling down six rebounds. McDeid finished with 15 points and five boards, while Kimberly Dewey chipped in 10 points and Madison Hagen scored nine points. Devyn Cope earned seven points, five boards, and three steals. McDeid also registered three steals.

The Pirates surged out to a 10-2 lead. Mayer completed the run on a layup with 6:25 left in the first quarter. The Bearcats added a 3-pointer from Carpenter 18 seconds later, and a layup by Yamane at the 5:33 mark, to drop the margin to 10-7. Willamette pulled within 12-9 on a layup by River and 15-12 on a 3-point shot by Carpenter with 2:31 to go.

Whitworth held a 19-14 advantage at the end of the quarter and opened the second period with a 7-1 run for a 26-15 lead with 7:01 left in the half. Mayer completed the run with a traditional three-point play. The Bearcats responded with a 10-0 run that included baskets by Riggs, CarolAnn Edwards (So., F, Spokane, WA/University HS), and River, followed by a jumper and a layup by Collins. Willamette trailed by a single point at 26-25 with 2:42 on the clock.

The next three points went to the Pirates, but the Bearcats ended the half a jumper by Collins at the 1:33 mark and a layup from River with 53 seconds to play, giving Willamette a 29-28 halftime edge. At the break, Mayer had nine points for Whitworth and River had eight points for the Bearcats.

A 10-2 run by Whitworth to open the third quarter gave the home team a 38-31 lead following a jumper by Mayer with 5:45 left. Willamette added the next three points on a jumper and foul shot by Riggs 15 seconds later, but the Pirates eventually claimed a 48-37 advantage on a 3-point basket by McDeid with 1:34 remaining. The Bearcats tallied the last three points of the quarter, ending with a jumper by Yamane with 27 seconds to go.

Whitworth scored the first basket of the fourth quarter for a 50-40 edge. Willamette reduced the lead to 51-48 at the 7:22 mark on a jumper by Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Jr., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS). The Pirates returned to a 10-point lead at 58-48 after a layup by Cope just over two minutes later. Willamette's final rally followed, but the Pirates held on.

The team recorded nearly identical field goal statistics, as Willamette hit 25 of 53 attempts (47.2%) and Whitworth went 24 of 52 (46.2%). Each team made three shots from 3-point range. The Bearcats were 10 of 15 at the foul line, while the Pirates sank 15 of 20 free throws. The Pirates gained a 32-27 rebounding margin.

Willamette will play at Whitman College on Saturday, Jan. 29 in Walla Walla, Washington, at 4 p.m. (PST). Whitman, 17-1 overall (9-0 NWC), is ranked #6 in the D3hoops.com Top 25.