DeLong Scores Career-High 28 Points, as Bearcats Defeat Wheaton, 65-57

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

HONOLULU, HAWAII -- Jojo DeLong (Sr., PG, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds, helping Willamette University down Wheaton College (Mass.), 65-57, in the Hoop N Surf Classic on Friday, Dec. 19. Willamette upped its record to 4-4, while Wheaton fell to 5-3.

The game was played at St. Francis High School in Honolulu. Willamette outscored Wheaton 32-24 in the second half after the teams entered halftime tied 33-33. Willamette clinched the win by going 8 for 8 at the free throw line -- including 6 for 6 by DeLong -- in the final 3:31 of the game.

DeLong's 28 points surpassed her previous best of 27 points against Pacific University last season on Feb. 4, 2014. It was her second game above 20 points this season. She achieved 26 points in a 57-53 win over Schreiner University on Nov. 16.

Against the Lyons on Friday, DeLong was joined in double figures by Kylie Towry (Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) and Katie Kalugin (Sr., G, Woodburn, OR/Woodburn HS). Towry registered 11 points and hauled down seven rebounds, while Kalugin chipped in 10 points and contributed six boards.

DeLong connected on 8 of 15 field goals, including 4 of 9 on 3-point shots. She finished the game 8 for 10 on free throws.

Wheaton was topped by Kiley Shoemaker, who scored 19 points and earned seven rebounds. She was 7 of 11 from the field. Abbie Brickley scored 17 points and registered 10 rebounds for the Lyons.

A 3-point basket by Rebecca Arnone gave Wheaton a 9-4 lead with 16:57 left in the first half. A steal by Laura Pierce 12 seconds later resulted in Arnone tacking on a layup to give the Lyons an 11-4 advantage.

Willamette scored nine of the next 13 points to pull within 15-13. Towry started the run with a 3-pointer at the 15:04 mark and completed the offensive surge with another 3-pointer as the clock reached the 13:06 mark.

Shoemaker scored four of the next six points, as the Lyons increased their lead to 21-15. The Bearcats countered with an 8-2 run, eventually tying the score at 23-23 when Julia Brand (Sr., F, Kaneohe, HI/Punahou School) hit 1 of 2 free throws with 7:17 remaining in the half.

It was the first tie since the teams were knotted at 2-2 just 29 seconds into the game. There were five more ties before halftime, including two in the final minute of the period.

Kalugin scored and was fouled on a layup with 30 seconds left in the half. She tied the score with the layup, and put WU in front 33-32 when she hit the ensuing free throw. The teams went into halftime tied after Kirsten Ferrari of Wheaton made the second of two free throws with 19 seconds left.

A jumper by Brickley gave Wheaton a 35-33 just 50 seconds into the second half. Willamette answered with a 3-pointer by DeLong to move in front, 36-35, with 18:49 to go.

There were four more lead changes early in the second half, ending with the Bearcats take the lead for good at 42-41 on a jumper by Kalugin with 14:57 remaining. After Kalugin's basket, the score stayed the same for over three minutes, until Towry sank a 3-pointer to give WU a 45-41 edge with less than 12 minutes left.

Brickley put in a jumper for the Lyons shortly after Towry's basket to cut the lead to 45-43.

The Bearcats responded by going on a 7-2 run, starting with two free throws by DeLong, followed by a jumper from Brand at the 10:01 mark. Shoemaker made a layup for Wheaton 14 seconds later, but a 3-pointer by DeLong gave Willamette a 52-45 advantage with 8:47 on the clock.

DeLong nailed a 3-pointer with 6:47 to go for a 55-47 lead. Later, with 3:31 remaining, DeLong was successful on two free throws as WU claimed a 57-50 margin.

Wheaton scored the next five points to pull within 57-55. Brickley provided the first three points on a layup at the 2:36 mark plus a free throw with 1:57 to go. Arnone ended the run with a pair of free throws with 1:15 left.

DeLong missed a jumper with about one minute on the clock, but grabbed the rebound and scored on a follow-up jumper with 57 seconds remaining. She also hit two free throws at the 39-second mark for a 61-55 lead.

Ferrari pulled the Lyons within four points by scoring on a layup with 31 second on the clock. Willamette sealed the win with two free throws by DeLong with 17 seconds left and two free throws by Towry with two seconds remaining.

Willamette shot 44.0% from the field (22 of 50) and made 8 of 21 three-pointers (38.1%). It was the sixth time in eight games this season that Willamette has hit at least eight 3-pointers. The Bearcats went 13 for 18 at the free throw line (72.2%), including 10 of 13 (76.9%) in the second half.

The Lyons made 22 of 59 field goals (37.3%), but connected on just 10 of 32 shots (31.3%) over the final 20 minutes. Wheaton was 2 of 14 on 3-pointers, and went 0 for 6 from beyond the arc in the second half. The Lyons converted 11 of 13 free throws (84.6%).

Willamette will take on Lake Forest College (Ill.) in the Hoop N Surf Classic on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 4 p.m. HST/6 p.m. PST. The game will be played at McKinley High School in Honolulu.