Young Players have Positive Impact for Bearcat Women's Basketball

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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's basketball team has received strong play from three of its younger players, including two who are among the Bearcats' top four scorers and one who ranks second on the team in assists. They are Kylie Towry (So./Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS), Marisa Hamilton (So./Fr., Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) and Ashley Evans (Fr., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS).

Towry was with the team in 2013-14, but played in just eight games before missing the rest of the season with a knee injury. Hamilton also was at Willamette a year ago, but did not play basketball while focusing her efforts as a thrower on the Bearcat track and field team. Evans played at Canby High School in Oregon last season.

Prior to suffering her injury, Towry was averaging 11.1 points per game and had scored 22 three-pointers for the Bearcats last season. She was averaging 4.0 rebounds per game.

This year, Towry is averaging 10.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. She has started all 14 contests and ranks first on the team with 44 three-pointers. She is shooting 44.9% from three-point range and has connected on 13 of 15 free throws (86.7%).

Towry leads the Northwest Conference with 3.1 three-point baskets per game and is second in three-point percentage. She set a Willamette record with nine 3-point baskets in the Bearcats' 81-47 victory over California Institute of Technology on Nov. 21. She has scored three or more 3-pointers in the same game nine times this year.

She has provided the Bearcats with double-digit scoring six times this year. She scored a career-high 27 points against Caltech and followed up with 21 points against University of California, Santa Cruz one day later on Nov. 22.

"Kylie has made such an impact with this team and she has played a significant role in the development of this program," Willamette Head Coach Peg Swadener said. "While she is known as a shooter (and a great one at that), she brings so much more to this team than the 3-point shot. Her court presence, basketball IQ and competitive fire help elevate the play of everyone around her."

Hamilton has gradually become a key player for Willamette. After scoring a total of six points during limited action in Willamette's first seven games of the season, she now has 57 points for the year. She is the Bearcats' leading scorer in NWC play with 9.0 points per game. She is shooting 47.6% from the field (20 of 42) against NWC opponents.

She scored a career-high 12 points against George Fox University on Jan. 10 and also reached double figures with 10 points versus Whitman College on Jan. 3. She has contributed 3.4 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game in conference action. She achieved a high of five rebounds against Whitman and against Lake Forest College on Dec. 20.

For the year, Hamilton owns a .500 field goal percentage and is 7 for 10 on free throws.

"Marisa has added some much needed depth and size to our post game," Swadener noted. "She is a skilled player who has great hands and a nice soft touch to her shot. She has done a great job working hard this year to improve her game after taking a couple years away from the sport, and that hard work is starting to pay off now that we are getting into conference play."

Evans has provided important depth at point guard behind senior Jojo DeLong (Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) and has seen increased playing time in recent games. During Willamette's five NWC contests this season, she has played more than 20 minutes, including 30 or more minutes three times. She has joined DeLong as a starter in each of the last three games.

While on the court, Evans has contributed 3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. She has achieved a 1.9 assists-to-turnover ratio with 31 assists and 16 turnovers. Evans scored a career-high 11 points in Willamette's game with Whitman.

Despite playing at the point guard position, she has achieved at least one rebound in all 14 games this year. She has registered two or more assists nine times, including five against Caltech and another five versus George Fox.

"Ashley is an exciting point guard with deep shooting range and amazing court vision," Swadener said. "She has developed well under the wing of senior point guard Jojo DeLong, and the addition of Ashley to our starting line-up has allowed us to not only handle the pressure we face in the NWC but attack it as well. The ability to play with two point guards on the floor also adds a double attack to our ball screen offense."

In addition to providing the Bearcats with scoring, rebounding and assists, Towry, Hamilton and Evans have looked more comfortable in their roles as the season has progressed. They have supplied the team with great effort, and they work well with the team's more experienced players. They have made improvements to their own skills, which has helped the team improve at the same time.