Mounts Scores 22 Points, as Bearcats Hold Off Alumni, 82-74

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Senior Taylor Mounts (Wing/Post, Kailua, HI/Iolani School) scored a game-high 22 points and led all players with nine rebounds, helping the Willamette University men's basketball team defeat the Willamette Alumni, 82-74, on Saturday, Nov. 12 at Cone Field House. Mounts hit 8 of 13 field goals and made 5 of 6 free throws.

The Bearcats placed four players in double figures, but couldn't put away the talented group of former Willamette players on the Alumni team until the closing minutes.

Other double-digit scorers for the Bearcats were Terrell Malley (Jr., G, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) with 16 points, Trevor Bos (So., G, Lakewood, CA/St. John Boscoe HS) with 15 points and Ryan Meehan (Sr., Wing, Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS/MSU-Billings) with 11 points. Malley and Bos tied for the team lead with three 3-pointers.

Nik Lubisich and John Olinger tied for the Alumni's scoring lead with 17 points apiece. Marcus Holmes chipped in nine points.

Lubisich, who still holds Willamette's single game record for 3-pointers with nine in two different games, sank 5 of 13 trifectas on Saturday. As a team, the Alumni went 10 for 36 from three-point range (27.8%).

Willamette held a slim 37-35 lead at halftime. The Bearcats trailed by as many as five points in the second half, as the Alumni took a 44-39 lead with 18:35 left on a layup by Olinger and held a 55-50 advantage with 13:13 to go following a layup by Holmes.

Each time, Willamette rallied to regain the lead. After Olinger's layup, the Bearcat varsity went on a 11-5 run to take a 50-49 lead. Mounts scored the first five points of the run and Meehan tallied the final six points.

The Alumni countered with a 6-0 run that was capped off by the layup from Holmes. Willamette offset the run with five consecutive points of its own on a jumper by Mounts and a 3-point basket by Derek Newhof (Fr., G, Mercer Island, WA/Mercer Island HS). The game was tied, 55-55, with 12:28 to go.

Olinger put in a layup at the 11:28 mark. Cory Lowe tacked on another layup with 10:38 left to give the Alumni their final lead at 59-55.

Willamette tallied the next eight points, surging into the lead on a pair of free throws by Malley at the 7:03 mark and extending the margin to four points, 63-59, on a layup by Meehan with 6:41 remaining.

Mike Plank ended a scoreless streak of 4:19 for the Alumni when hit one of two free throws with 6:19 on the clock.

The varsity team for Willamette led by as many as six points several times in the closing minutes. Even so, the Alums pulled within three points at 76-73 when Lubisich sank a 3-point shot with 1:30 left.

Bos increased the lead to 78-73 with a pair of free throws at the 1:13 mark. After Lubisich missed a 3-pointer for the Alumni with 53 seconds left, Avery Manu (So., Wing, Pocatello, ID/Highland HS) sank 1 of 2 free throws for Willamette to give the current Bearcats a 79-73 lead.

The Alumni added a free throw by Robbie Kunke with 29 seconds remaining, but Willamette secured the win by converting 3 of 4 free throws the rest of the way.

Willamette shot 41.2% from the field (28 of 68) and made 9 of 26 three-pointers (34.6%). The Bearcats hit 17 of 25 free throws (68.0%). The Alumni was successful on 28 of 75 field goals (37.3%) and made 8 of 19 free throws (42.1%).

Both teams committed a significant number of turnovers, as the Bearcats finished with 30 and the Alumni had 25. The Alums achieved 19 steals, led by five each from Harold Sublett and Kunke. Willamette attained 10 steals, including three by Mounts.

Willamette will open the regular season against D'Youville College (N.Y.) on Friday, Nov. 18 in the first round of Calvin Tip-off Tournament at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. Game time is set for 2:30 p.m. (PST).