Pioneers Defeat Bearcats, 53-46, in Women's Basketball

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Sarah Anderson scored 14 points and Kaitlin Mathewson added 10 points, as the Lewis & Clark College Pioneers defeated Willamette University in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 10. L&C improved to 8-14 overall, 5-8 in the NWC. Willamette dropped to 6-16 on the season, 1-12 in the NWC.

Anderson hit 5 of 8 field goals, including 3 for 6 on 3-point shots. Mathewson went 5 for 5 from the field. The Pioneers earned a 37-30 rebounding edge, led by nine boards from Ayisat Afolabi and eight boards by Miyah Leith.

Willamette was led by Kylie Towry (So./Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS), who scored 15 points and hit 4 of 5 three-point shots. She was 5 for 8 from the field.

Marissa Hamilton (So./Fr., C, Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) contributed nine points for the Bearcats, while Katie Kalugin (Sr., G, Woodburn, OR/Woodburn HS) scored six points and provided six rebounds. Jojo DeLong (Sr., PG, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) led all players with seven assists.

L&C scored the game's first four points, but the Bearcats countered with a jumper by Julia Brand (Sr., F, Kaneohe, HI/Punahou School) and a 3-pointer by Towry to take a 5-4 lead with 16:46 on the clock. The Pioneers answered with a 6-0 run to surge back in front, 10-5 at the 13:33 mark.

A 3-pointer by Anderson with 10:59 left in the half gave Lewis & Clark a 17-11 advantage. After Hamilton connected on a pair of free throws for WU, the Pioneers tacked on eight consecutive points, starting with two baskets by Mathewson, to extend the lead to 25-13 with 6:18 to go.

Willamette ended the first half with a 9-4 run to pull within 29-22 at the break. Hamilton scored four points during the run and led the Bearcats with nine points at halftime. L&C shot 57.1% in the first 20 minutes, as the visitors hit 12 of 21 attempts.

The Bearcats netted five of the first seven points in the second half to reduce the margin to 31-27 with 16:26 left. L&C scored first, but Towry hit a 3-pointer and Kalugin added a jumper.

WU never got closer, but stayed within striking distance throughout the second half. Kalugin hit 1 of 2 free throws with 9:25 remaining to get the Bearcats within 39-33. After Leith put in a layup for L&C, Ashley Evans (Fr., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) canned a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 41-36.

A 3-pointer by Anderson and a layup by Afolabi increased the Pioneers' advantage to 46-36 with 7:11 on the clock. The lead reached 49-38 following another 3-pointer from Anderson just under two minutes later, but Willamette answered with a 6-1 run.

DeLong sank a 3-pointer with 3:07 left to start the rally. Neither team scored for two minutes until Lauren Wood hit 1 of 2 free throws for Lewis & Clark with 1:07 to go. Towry registered her fourth 3-pointer of the game 10 seconds later, as WU reduced the lead to 50-44.

Cianna Ochoco made two free throws at the 55-second mark and grabbed a rebound with 47 seconds remaining to clinch the win for the Pioneers.

L&C shot 42.6% for the game (20 of 47), but made just 3 of 9 three-pointers. The Pioneers were 10 for 15 at the free throw line. Willamette made 15 of 51 field goals (29.4%), while sinking 7 of 16 shots from 3-point range (43.8%). The Bearcats finished 9 for 12 on free throws.

Willamette will complete a three-game homestand on Friday, Feb. 13 against Pacific Lutheran University. Game time is set for 6 p.m. (PST). Pacific Lutheran won the first meeting between the two teams, 67-63 in two overtimes, in Parkland, Wash., on Jan. 17.