Pioneers Pile Up Second-Chance Points, Prevail against Bearcats, 68-54

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Quentin Sims recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, as Lewis & Clark College downed Willamette University, 68-54, in Northwest Conference men's basketball action at Cone Field House on Feb. 14. The Pioneers outscored the Bearcats 20-4 in second-chance points.

Lewis and Clark improved to 14-7 overall, 6-5 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 3-18 overall, including 1-11 in the conference.

Sims was Lewis & Clark's leading scorer on the night. Avery Manu (Sr., W, Pocatello, ID/Highland HS) tallied a team-high 14 points for Willamette.

The visitors from L&C built a 38-23 advantage in the first half.

Willamette tallied the game's first basket on a layup by Manu (Sr., Wing, Pocatello, ID/Highland HS) at the 18:18 mark. Ben Neves answered with a layup for L&C with 17:38 on the clock.

The scoring pace remained slow for several additional minutes after the Pioneers moved in front 5-2 on a 3-pointer by Jason Luhnow. Lewis & Clark's lead was reduced to a single point by the Bearcats four times between Luhnow's basket at 16:45 and two free throws by Manu with 10:54 remaining. Manu's charity shots pulled WU within 13-12.

Over the next few minutes, L&C went on a 12-2 run to surge into a 25-14 lead. The run included two layups by Connor Freeberg, a traditional three-point play by Sims and a 3-point basket by Justin Leathers.

Jake Stevens (Fr., F, Eagle, ID/Eagle HS) responded with a 3-pointer for Willamette with 7:08 to go in the half, but four straight points by the Pioneers gave L&C a 29-17 margin.

WU cut the lead to eight points again at 29-21 following a jump shot by Kyle McNally (Jr., Post, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) with 3:54 left, but Lewis & Clark scored the next nine points. Willamette registered the final points of the half after Alex Hansen (Sr., Wing, Reno, NV/Galena HS) hit two free throws following a foul near mid-court with two seconds left.

The Pioneers benefited from a trio of 3-point baskets early in the second half, as they put together an 11-8 run to build a 49-31 advantage with 14:28 to go. The 3-pointers were recorded by Luhnow, Sims and Serg Ovchinnikov.

Lewis & Clark continued to maintain a double-digit margin, but WU did get as close as 57-46 on a layup by Manu at the 6:53 mark. Ovchinnikov hit one of the Pioneers' 10 three-pointers just seven seconds later.

Willamette replied with a 3-pointer by Hayden Russell (Fr., G, Woodland, CA/Da Vinci HS) with 6:29 left to cut the deficit to 60-49, but Ovchinnikov sank another 3-pointer for the Pioneers with 6:05 left, and the Bearcats never got closer.

Following Sims on the L&C scoring chart were Randall Jackson with 12 points and Ovchinnikov with 11 points. Luhnow contributed nine points and seven rebounds, while producing all of his scoring from beyond the 3-point arc.

The Pioneers converted 22 of 66 field goals (33.3%), including just 26.5% (9 of 34) in the second half. L&C hit 10 of 36 three-point attempts (27.8%) and made 14 of 18 free throws (77.8%).

Manu was one of two Bearcats in double figures. Hansen also reached double-digits, as he connected on 4 of 9 field goals on his way to 11 points. Brandon Luedtke (So., F, Meridian, ID/Mt. View HS) of WU grabbed 11 rebounds to tie Sims for game-high honors. McNally snagged seven rebounds for the Bearcats.

Willamette shot 39.3% overall (22 of 56), including 3 of 8 three-point attempts (37.5%). The Bearcats went 7 for 13 (53.8%) at the free throw line.

Although WU attained higher overall and 3-point field goals percentages, the Bearcats committed 18 turnovers and the Pioneers earned 16 offensive rebounds. L&C turned the turnovers into 23 points and the offensive boards into 20. Willamette scored only four second-chance points from 11 offensive rebounds, and registered eight points from nine turnovers by the Pioneers.

The Bearcats will take on the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Cone Field House. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. (PST).