Willamette to Host Caltech and UC Santa Cruz in Grand Classic

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will take on California Institute of Technology and University of California, Santa Cruz in the Grand Classic on Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22 at Cone Field House. WU will play Caltech on Friday at 6 p.m. (PST) and will battle UC Santa Cruz on Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Grand Classic is sponsored by the Grand Hotel in Salem. In addition to games at Willamette, Caltech will play Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., on Saturday at 4 p.m. and UC Santa Cruz will play at Pacific on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 11 a.m.

Willamette enters the weekend with a 1-1 record. The Bearcats split their games at the Bon Appetit NWC Tipoff Classic hosted by Lewis & Clark College. WU lost to Montclair State University (N.J.), ranked #11 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, 73-49, on Nov. 15, before defeating Schreiner University (Texas), 57-53, on Nov. 16.

Jojo DeLong (Sr., PG, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) leads the Bearcats with 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. She scored a game-high 26 points in Willamette's win over Schreiner. DeLong made 6 of 6 free throws in the final 45 seconds to secure the win. She is 9 of 12 (75.0%) at the free throw line this season.

DeLong was chosen Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference last season. She has scored 576 career points for the Bearcats.

Kylie Towry (Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) also has averaged in double figures with 10.5 points per game. She is 6 of 15 (40.0%) on 3-point shots.

Willamette has received 5.0 points per game from Daena Mau (Sr., G, Aiea, Hawaii/Punahou School). Alex Wert (So., F, Spokane, WA/St. George's HS) has contributed 4.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Katie Kalugin (Sr., G, Woodburn, OR/Woodburn HS) also is averaging 5.0 rebounds per game.

The Bearcats have achieved seven 3-pointers per game and are 30 of 42 (71.4%) at the free throw line.

Caltech's top returning players are Stephanie Wong (Jr., G), Bridget Connor (Sr., F), Kristin Anderson (Jr., F) and Kate Lewis (So., F). Wong was named Second Team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference last year after averaging 12.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 rebounds per game.

Connor provided the Beavers with 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Anderson averaged 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots per game in 2013-14. Lewis led Caltech as a freshman last year with 7.6 rebounds per game, while scoring 9.4 points per contest.

UC Santa Cruz scored 73 points in each of its first two games. The leading scorer for the Banana Slugs is Sarah Mackey (Sr., F) with 18.0 points per game. She also has averaged 9.5 rebounds per game.

Leah Parrish (Sr., F) has earned 17.5 points per game and has hauled down 11.5 rebounds per game for UC Santa Cruz. She grabbed 12 rebounds against St. John Fisher and added 11 boards versus California Lutheran.

Sarah Crane (Sr., F) scored 14 points against St. John Fisher, while Erin Joo (Sr., G) and Geena Giovannetti (Sr., G/F) each tallied 10 points against CLU.

The Banana Slugs are shooting 40.0% on field goals and 43.8% on 3-point shots. UC Santa Cruz is averaging seven 3-pointers per contest. The Banana Slugs have converted 76.2% of their free throws (32 of 42).

Willamette's two games this weekend begin a busy stretch for the Bearcats that continues with games on Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Wednesday, Nov. 26. On Tuesday, Willamette will play at Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Ore., at 7 p.m. (PST). On Wednesday, the Bearcats will take on Concordia University (Ore.) in Cone Field House at 7 p.m.