Bearcats Rally within Two Points in Fourth Quarter before Pacific Wins, 62-56

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Pacific University led by nine points at halftime and held a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but Willamette University battled to within 47-45 with 4:03 left in the game, before the Boxers downed the Bearcats, 62-56, at Cone Field House on Friday, Feb. 18. The Boxers improved to 18-6 on the season, including 12-3 in the Northwest Conference after fending off Willamette's comeback. The Bearcats fell to 11-13 overall, 6-9 in the NWC.

Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Jr., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) scored 12 points for Willamette while hauling down nine rebounds. She hit 4 of 7 three-point shots, and also recorded two blocked shots, one assist, and one steal. Megan River (So., G, Tumwater, WA/A.G. West Black Hills HS) chipped in 10 points for the Bearcats on 5-of-9 shooting. River led WU with five assists. Ava Kitchin (So., F, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) contributed eight points and grabbed nine rebounds, while playing just 15 minutes, as she returned to action following an injury. Claire Bonnet (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Boise HS) also scored eight points.

Willamette honored graduating players Amanda Carpenter (Grad., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) and Morgan Yamane (Sr., F, Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake HS) prior to the game as part of Senior Night.

Camy Aguinaldo, the only senior for Pacific, led the Boxers with 26 points and six rebounds. She was 9 of 20 on field goals, including 4 for 8 on 3-point shots. Rilee Price added 12 points and a game-high four steal, while Sydney Gray and Emily Holsan each controlled five rebounds.

The Boxers scored the first seven points of the game, including two baskets by Aguinaldo. Pacific extended the margin to 14-4 on a 3-pointer by Aguinaldo with 2:52 left in the quarter. Bonnet answered with a 3-pointer for Willamette. After Brilie Kovaloff tacked on a layup for Pacific at the 36-second mark, Ascuena-Mercil put through a 3-pointer for WU with 15 seconds left in the quarter, reducing the Boxers' lead to 16-10.

Willamette moved within 19-14 on a jumper in the paint by River as the clock reached 7:29 in the second quarter. The Boxers used a 9-2 run to increased their lead to 28-16 following a basket by Taya McCallum with 1:03 remaining. Ascuena-Mercil hit a 3-pointer with 44 seconds to go. Pacific held a 28-19 edge at the break.

Carpenter opened the second half with a 3-pointer just nine seconds into the third quarter. Her trifecta started a 9-1 run for the Bearcats that clipped the Boxers' lead to 29-28. Four Bearcats scored during the run.

A layup and a 3-pointer -- both by Aguinaldo -- gave Pacific a 34-28 advantage with 5:47 left in the quarter. Carolyn Ho (So., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) added a free throw for Willamette before the Boxers went on a 7-0 surge to claim a 41-29 lead with 1:35 on the clock. Ascuena-Mercil and Aguinaldo each tacked on a 3-pointer for their respective teams, as Pacific ended the period with a 44-32 margin.

The lead for Pacific reached 46-32 on the first possession of the fourth quarter when Aguinaldo scored on a driving layup. A hook shot by Kitchin, plus a 3-pointer from Bonnet and another hook shot by Kitchin, reduced the difference to seven points at 46-39 with 7:44 remaining. A bit later, WU scored six unanswered points to move within 47-45 at the 4:03 mark on a jump shot by Bonnet. The two scoring surges by the Bearcats gave Willamette a combined 13-1 run.

Nine of the next 11 points were scored by Pacific on 3-pointer by Holson and two 3-pointers by Price. The Boxers led 56-47 with 48 seconds to play. Willamette scored nine points the rest of the way, but Pacific sank 6 of 8 free throws in the final 39 seconds to hold off the Bearcats.

Willamette shot 41.8% for the game (23 of 55), while Pacific connected on 40.7% of its shots from the field (22 of 54). The teams also nearly matched 3-point efforts, with the Boxers going 8 of 17 (47.1%) and the Bearcats hitting 7 of 18 (38.9%). Pacific was 10 for 19 at the free throw line (52.6%), while Willamette was 3 for 6 (50.0%). The Bearcats registered a 38-31 rebounding edge and held a 25-14 margin in scoring off the bench.

The Bearcats will close out the season on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Linfield University. Game time in McMinnville, Oregon, is scheduled for 4 p.m (PST).