Frank Amasses 35 Points, Sinks Key Free Throws, as Bearcats Down PLU, 85-82

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, Wash. -- Junior guard Josiah Frank (Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) scored 35 points, including five 3-pointers, as Willamette University won its sixth consecutive game with an 85-82 win at Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Jan. 6. Frank sank 4 of 4 free throws in the final 10 seconds to secure the win. The Bearcats upped their record to 8-4 overall, 3-1 in the Northwest Conference. PLU fell to 8-5, 1-3 in the NWC.

Frank leads the Bearcats and is third in the NWC with 16.8 points per game. His 35 points were just one point away from an existing six-way tie for 10th on Willamette's all-time scoring list. The Willamette record for points in a game is 46 by Erik Clarkson versus Southern Oregon University on Dec. 7, 1991.

On Saturday, Jack Boydell (Grad., W, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) hit a 3-pointer with 2:24 remaining to give the Bearcats a 79-75 edge. He also scored on a mid-range jumper with 1:43 left for an 81-77 lead.

The next points for either team were earned by Miles Nash of PLU on a layup with 12 seconds to play. Frank was soon fouled and made both free throws, as he supplied WU with an 83-79 advantage. Nash put through a 3-pointer for the Lutes with five seconds remaining. Frank clinched the win by hitting two free throws with just over one second on the clock.

The Bearcats owned a slim 25-24 advantage at the 7:19 mark in the first half after Brandin Reidel hit 1 of 2 free throws for PLU. Willamette answered with an 18-5 run for a 43-29 advantage with 1:41 on the clock. The run included two 3-pointers each by Ryder Hsiung (Jr., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) and Frank. PLU pulled within 45-35 with 24 seconds remaining, as Jason Montes made a pair of free throws. Boydell ended the first-half scoring when he hit two free throws for Willamette with two seconds left, giving the Bearcats a 47-35 halftime lead.

Willamette hit 7 of 15 three-point attempts in the first 20 minutes. Frank scored 17 points during the opening half, while Boydell connected for 11 points. Reidel led PLU with 10 points at the break.

Pacific Lutheran tallied the first six points of the second half to cut WU's lead to 47-41 with 17:16 to go. The Bearcats went on a 13-6 run to gain a 60-47 advantage as the clock reached 12:32. The offensive surge, which included scoring by five Bearcats, started with a defensive rebound by Frank, who turned it into a layup at the other end of the court.

The Lutes moved within 62-58 on a 3-pointer by Mack Hepper at the 9:24 mark and PLU tied the Bearcats at 64-64 on a layup by Montes. The Bearcats never trailed again, but the Lutes continued to battle. After WU took a 73-67 lead on a layup by Frank with 5:05 to go, the Lutes used an 8-3 run to cut the margin to a single point at 76-75 with 3:25 left.

Frank's big scoring night was his fourth consecutive game with at least 21 points. He has provided the Bearcats with a total of 100 points in those four contests for 25.0 points per game. Against PLU, Frank also contributed six rebounds and two steals, while converting 12 of 19 field goals, 5 of 6 three-pointers, and 6 of 6 free throws.

Boydell added 16 points, five boards and two assists. Hsiung chipped in with 11 points, including a trio of 3-point shots. Caleb Moore (So., G, Wadley, GA/Washington County HS/Bard College) finished with six points and three assists. Kahiau Bruhn (So., W, Waimanalo, HI/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama) attained six points and four rebounds.

PLU received 32 points from Nash, who also earned eight rebounds. Riedel scored 20 points and led all players with 11 boards. Montes achieved 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Lutes were credited with a 46-37 rebounding margin.

The Bearcats outscored the Lutes 49-11 in bench points, as Frank entered the game off the bench. WU also gained a 14-8 margin in fast-break points. The Bearcats held the lead for 32 minutes and 12 seconds during the game.

Willamette is set to play at Pacific University on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Game time in Forest Grove, Oregon, is scheduled for 8 p.m. PST.