Collins Scores 11 Points for Bearcats in Exhibition at University of Portland

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Ashley Collins (Jr., P, Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills HS) scored 11 points for Willamette University against the University of Portland in a women's basketball game on Monday, Nov. 7 at the Chiles Center. The game was an exhibition contest for the Bearcats, but counted as the season opener for Portland, which moved to 1-0.

Willamette competes in NCAA Division III and the Northwest Conference. Portland is a member of NCAA Division I and the West Coast Conference. The Bearcats are set to open the regular season by hosting Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) on Friday, Nov. 11 at Cone Field House. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).

Collins led WU in scoring against the Pilots while hitting 5 of 7 field goals. Megan River (Jr., G, Tumwater, WA/A.G. West Black Hills HS) and Kaitlin Imai (Fy., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS) each finished with seven points. Danielle Morgan (Sr., Lompoc, CA/Allan Hancock HS/California Lutheran Univ.) and Carolyn Ho (Jr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) both scored six points. Morgan was 3 of 4 from the field and Ho was 3 of 5.

River topped the Bearcats with six assists. Ho and Imai were each credited with four assists. Morgan grabbed a team-high four rebounds. Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Sr., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) contributed five points, three rebounds, and two steals.

Portland's offense was paced by Liana Kaitu'u, who scored 20 points and sank 9 of 11 field goals. Kaitu'u also hauled down seven rebounds and earned three assists. Alex Fowler and Maisie Burnham each tacked on 17 points. Emme Shearer provided the Pilots with 10 points and six assists, while Burnham led Portland with nine rebounds.

The Pilots attained a 41-20 rebounding edge. Willamette shot 44.0% from the field (22 of 50) and made 6 of 16 three-point attempts (37.5%). Portland hit 56.9% of its field goals (37 of 65), including 4 of 12 from 3-point range (33.3%). The Pilots were 14 for 23 at the free throw line, while WU made 6 of 10 free throws.

Ho scored the game's first basket on a jump shot for the Bearcats just 11 seconds after the opening tipoff. The Pilots scored the next six points, but WU pulled within 6-4 on another jumper by Ho at the 7:54 mark of the first quarter. Portland extended the lead to 19-6 on a layup by Fowler with 3:45. Late in the quarter, River sank a 3-point shot for Willamette with 25 seconds to go, pulling the Bearcats within 24-13.

Claire Bonnet (Sr., G, Boise, ID/Boise HS) of WU added a 3-pointer to start the second quarter, reducing Portland's margin to 24-16. The Pilots answered with a 7-0 run to grab a 31-16 lead with 7:04 left in the half. Portland gradually pulled away over the remainder of the second quarter and took a 46-23 lead into the halftime break. The Pilots outscored the Bearcats 46-33 in the second half.