DeLong Leads Bearcats Past Schreiner with 26 Points in 57-53 Win

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

PORTLAND, ORE. -- Jojo DeLong (Sr., PG, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) scored a game-high 26 points, including 6 for 6 at the free throw line in the final 45 seconds to lead Willamette University to a 57-53 victory over Schreiner University (Texas) in the second round of the Bon Appetit NWC Tipoff Classic on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Willamette improved to 1-1 on the season, while Schreiner fell to 0-2. The Bearcats and the Mountaineers were tied at 51-51 with 1:09 remaining, but Willamette closed out the game with a 6-2 run.

DeLong finished the game just one point short of her career record of 27 points, which she set against Pacific University on Feb. 4, 2014. In Sunday's game, she not only led both teams in scoring, she also provided Willamette with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. She was 7 of 19 on field goals, went 4 for 12 on three-pointers and hit 8 of 10 free throws.

Kylie Towry (Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) contributed 12 points for the Bearcats, including three 3-pointers. She also grabbed five rebounds and supplied two assists.

Kelise Jackson paced Schreiner with 17 points on 6 of 14 shooting and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. She made three of Schreiner's four 3-point baskets. Codi Simmons achieved 11 points on 4 of 6 shooting and 3 for 4 free throws. Sabriyyah Fennell tied Jackson with seven boards and also scored eight points.

The Mountaineers forced the 51-51 tie when Fennell hit the second of two free throws. DeLong was fouled a the 45-second mark and sank both shots. Christonna Jones of Schreiner missed a layup with 27 seconds to go, and Towry hauled down the rebound for WU.

Schreiner didn't foul right away, but waited until 11 seconds were on the clock before Jones fouled DeLong. The Willamette senior hit both free throws, giving the Bearcats a 55-51 advantage.

Fennell cut the lead to two points by scoring on a layup with two seconds remaining. DeLong was fouled with about one second left, and clinched the win by converting both free throw.

The Mountaineers held the lead early in the game after surging out to a 9-3 margin. Schreiner led 13-5 after Codi Simmons put through a layup at the 12:04 mark. WU tallied the next four points and later pulled within 16-12 on a 3-pointer by DeLong.

Schreiner answered with a 6-0 run, as Brooke Sanders and Jackson each hit a 3-point shot. The Mountaineers also led 24-14 before the Bearcats ended the half with a 15-2 run.

WU cut the margin to 24-20 n a 3-pointer by DeLong with 3:27 left in the half and tied the game at 24-24 when Whitney Anderson (Fr., G, Willamina, OR/Willamina HS) sank two free throws with 1:50 on the clock. Jones put Schreiner back in front with a jumper 38 seconds later.

Towry tied the game with two free throws with 52 second left, and gave WU a 29-26 halftime lead by connecting on a 3-pointer with 28 seconds to go.

Willamette used 5-2 run at the start of the second half to increase its lead to 34-28. Jackson of SU scored first to open the half, but Alex Wert (So., F, Spokane, WA/St. George's HS) hit a jumper and Towry added a 3-pointer.

The Bearcats retained the lead for most of the second half and were in front by as many as eight points at 47-39 following another 3-pointer by Towry with 7:14 left. Schreiner went on an 11-2 run to take a 50-49 lead with 2:50 remaining. The run included seven points by Simmons and ended with a jumper by Shaila Wolter to move the Mountaineers in front.

After Willamette missed its first two shots on the next possession, DeLong rebounded for the Bearcats and scored on a jumper for a 51-50 lead with 2:24 remaining. Neither team scored again until Fennel's tying free throw with 1:09 left.

Willamette shot 34.8% for the game (16 of 46), while Schreiner shot 38.9% (21 of 54). The Bearcats gained an edge in field goal shooting by hitting 8 of 26 shots compared to 4 of 18 for the Mountaineers. Willamette also made 17 of 22 free throws (77.3%), compared to 7 of 10 for Schreiner. WU achieved a 38-33 rebounding margin.

In Sunday's other tournament game, Montclair State University (N.J.) defeated Lewis & Clark College, 53-48. MSU was ranked #11 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25. Montclair State went 2-0 in the tournament, while L&C was 1-1.

The next action for the Bearcat will be in the Grand Classic in Salem, Ore. The Grand Hotel is sponsoring the event, which will feature the Bearcats against Caltech on Friday, Nov. 21 and against the University of California-Santa Cruz on Saturday, Nov. 22. Game times are at 6 p.m. (PST) on Friday and at 4 p.m. on Saturday.