Willamette Battles for NWC Tournament Berth against Linfield and Pacific

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University is involved in the race for the Northwest Conference Tournament in men's basketball as the regular season comes to a close this weekend. The Bearcats will complete their regular season schedule with key games against archrival Linfield College and Pacific University.

The Bearcats will take on the Wildcats on Friday, Feb. 20 in McMinnville, Ore. at 8 p.m. (PST). Linfield has already been eliminated from reaching the NWC Tournament, but the Wildcats would like to avenge their 67-53 loss at Willamette on Jan. 24. Willamette will host Pacific at Cone Field House on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.

It will be Senior Night for the Bearcats on Saturday. Prior to taking on the Boxers, the Bearcats will honor seniors Robbie Gibbs (Sr., Wing, Aptos, CA/St. Francis Central Coast Catholic HS), Joseph Jackson (Sr., Wing, Hillsboro, OR/Hillsboro HS), Kyle McNally (Sr., F, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) and Talanoa Smith (Sr., G, Pago Pago, American Samoa/Tafuna HS).

Entering the weekend, Willamette is 9-14 overall and 7-7 in the NWC. The Bearcats are tied with University of Puget Sound, also 7-7, for fourth place in the standings, but WU holds the tie-breaker after defeating UPS twice. Pacific, at 7-8 in the conference, and Pacific Lutheran University, with a 6-8 NWC record, are still in the running for the final tournament berth.

The top four teams after games on Friday and Saturday will qualify for the NWC Tournament. Willamette controls its own destiny and the Bearcats will clinch the final berth with two wins this weekend. If the Bearcats lose to Linfield on Friday, WU can still finish fourth by defeating Pacific on Saturday if UPS and PLU each lose at least once.

The Loggers and Lutes will be playing Whitworth University and Whitman College in the Tacoma, Wash., area this weekend. Whitworth (13-1) is first and Whitman (14-2) is second in the NWC standings.

If Willamette and Pacific finish in a tie at 8-8, the Boxers will own the tie-breaker by virtue of a 1-1 record against Whitman, while Willamette went 0-2 versus the Missionaries. WU defeated Pacific in their first meeting, 78-71, on Jan. 23 in Forest Grove, Ore.

Brandon Luedtke (Jr., F, Meridian, ID/Mt. View HS) is Willamette's top scorer with 14.1 points per game. He ranks fifth in the NWC in scoring. Luedtke leads the Bearcats and the entire NWC with 9.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. He has connected on 51.7% of his field goals (107 of 207).

Bridger Harlington (Jr., Wing, Lake Tapps, WA/Auburn Riverside HS) and Brendon McCullough (Fr., G, San Antonio, TX/Home Schooled) are both averaging 11.0 points per game for the Bearcats. Harlington has achieved a team-high 40 three-pointers. McCullough has connected on 92 of 113 free throws (81.4%) and is tied for seventh in the NWC with 2.6 assists per game.

Averaging 8.9 points per game for Willamette is freshman Nico Troplent (Wing, Los Angeles, CA/Cathedral HS). Troplent ranks second on the team with 21 three-point baskets and is shooting 80.9% at the free throw line (38 of 47).

McNally leads the NWC with 56 blocked shots and 2.4 blocks per game. Earlier this season on Jan. 10, he blocked a school record nine shots against George Fox University. He is second on the team with 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He has provided the Bearcats with 6.9 points per contest.

Linfield is 3-20 on the season and 1-13 in the NWC. The Wildcats are eighth in the conference in scoring offense with 58.9 points per game and are eighth in scoring defense, allowing 71.3 points per game.

Ryan Potter (So., G) and Austin Murray (Fr., F) are tied for the team's scoring lead with 8.5 points per game. Potter has scored 187 points in 22 games, while Murray has scored 179 points in 21 contests. Murray is the Wildcats' top rebounder with 4.1 boards per game and has provided a team-high 21 blocked shots.

Ryan Cali (Sr., G) is averaging 8.0 ponts per game and has converted 34 of 40 free throws (82.5%). Cali is Linfield's leader with 49 assists (2.3 avg., 10th in NWC) and ranks second on the team with 3.7 rebounds per contest. Trevor Howard (Fr., G) tops the lineup with 38 three-pointers and is shooting at a 41.3% clip from 3-point range.

Pacific enters Saturday's game with a 12-12 overall record. The Boxers, who defeated George Fox University 84-72 at home on Tuesday, Feb. 17, do not play on Friday.

The leading scorer and rebounder for Pacific is Mitch Wettig (Sr., G/F) with 13.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per per game. He scored a team-high 20 points against Willamette earlier this season. Wettig ranks first for the Boxers in 3-point shooting percentage, as he has connected on 39 of 95 shots for 41.1%.

Danny Brakebush (Jr./So., G) has contributed 12.4 points per game, but missed 13 games due to injury. Riley Grandinetti (Sr., G) is third on the team with 8.8 points per game and leads the Boxers with 57 three-point baskets and 22 steals.

Skyler Burgess (Jr., F) supplies 8.7 points per game and ranks second on the squad with 5.0 rebounds per night. He is shooting 58.6% from the field (85 of 145). Cody Proctor (Sr., G) ranks third in the NWC and leads the Boxers with 3.3 assist per game (80 in 24 games).