Bearcats Fall at Linfield Despite Season-High 13 Points by Sanders

McMinnville, Ore. - Maya Sanders came off the bench to lead Willamette in scoring with 13 points, but was the only Bearcat in double figures as the offense struggled in a 61-45 defeat at Linfield University.

The host Wildcats got off to a hot start connecting on five of their first six shots.  At the same time, the Bearcats turned the ball over on their first three possessions and missed their first three shots as they saw Linfield jump out to an 11-0 lead.  Willamette's first basket didn't come until the 5:44 mark of the first quarter on a Sanders three-pointer off the assist by Daisy Boling-Schmidt.  The Bearcats found their rhythm after that and a Gio Horner layup at the end of the quarter made the score 17-10. 

Addie Hiler started the scoring for Willamette at the start of the second quarter and with both teams hitting scoring droughts, a Syd Shoemaker layup halfway through the quarter pulled the Bearcats within six points at 21-15.  The Wildcats extended the lead back out nine, but free throws by Horner and Kaitlin Imai made the score 27-20 at the halftime break.

The teams traded baskets to start the third quarter until an 8-0 run put Linfield up 40-25 with just under four minutes left in the period.  A Peyton Gardner layup stopped the run and five straight points by Boling-Schmidt and another layup by Gardner pulled Willamette within ten near the end of the quarter.

Trailing 46-34 entering the fourth, Willamette scored the first seven points, capped off by another layup by Gardner, to cut the Wildcat lead to 46-41.  Linfield quickly responded with five straight points of their own to push their lead back to double figures and after an Elyse Waldal jumper made the score 51-43, the Bearcats hit another cold stretch and their only points were two free throws by Sanders with 20 seconds left in the game.

Following Sanders' 13 points, Daisy Boling-Schmidt and Kaitlin Imai chipped in seven apiece.  On a cold shooting night, Sanders made Willamette's only two three-pointers with the rest of the team going 0 for 14.  Waldal pulled down seven rebounds, followed by Addie Hiler with five.  Gardner and Horner each handed out two assists and Imai recorded four steals.

Willamette's next game will be at Pacific University on Friday, January 24th, at 8:00 pm.  The Bearcats return home the next night to host the University of Puget Sound for a 6:00 pm game on Saturday, January 25th.