UC Santa Cruz Pulls Away from Bearcats for 73-52 Win at Grand Classic

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

SALEM, ORE. -- UC Santa Cruz led by just seven points with less than seven minutes remaining, but the Banana Slugs ended the game with a 15-2 run to pull away from Willamette University for a 73-52 win during the Grand Classic at Cone Field House on Saturday, Nov. 22. UC Santa Cruz upped its record to 3-0, while Willamette moved to 2-2 on the season.

The Banana Slugs held a 39-29 lead at halftime and were in front 57-43 after a 3-pointer with 9:11 left. The Bearcats rallied with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 57-50 at the 6:56 mark. UC Santa Cruz registered the next six points to achieve a 63-50 lead with 4:30 remaining.

Julia Brand (Sr., F, Kaneohe, HI/Punahou School) of Willamette put in a layup with 3:18 on the clock to cut the lead to 63-52, but Geena Giovannetti hit a 3-pointer for the Banana Slugs 14 seconds later to keep the Bearcats from rallying. The basket by Giovannetti started a 10-0 run.

Leah Parris led UC Santa Cruz with 21 points, including 9 for 9 at the free throw line. She also grabbed nine rebounds, earned two assists and had two steals. Geena Giovannetti scored 15 points for the Banana Slugs, while Sarah Mackey achieved eight points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots.

Kylie Towry (Fr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) topped Willamette with 21 points and hit 6 of 6 three-pointers. She also grabbed a team-high five rebounds. During WU's two games in the Grand Classic, Towry hit a total of 15 three-pointers.

Jojo DeLong (Sr., PG, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) and Kelsey Walker (Fr., G, Westerville, OH/Westerville North HS) each scored seven points for the Bearcats. DeLong also provided four assists and four rebounds.

The Banana Slugs were playing their first game since Monday, Nov. 17, while Willamette was playing for the second day in a row after defeating California Institute of Technology, 81-47, on Friday. UC Santa Cruz will play at Pacific University on Sunday at 11 a.m. (PST). Pacific defeated Caltech, 88-50, on Saturday.

WU led 6-4 with 16:48 left in the first half on the strength of two 3-pointers by Towry. A bit later Willamette owned a 14-10 advantage following another trifecta from Towry with 10:10 remaining. UC Santa Cruz tallied the next five points, ending with a 3-pointer by Sarah Fitzgerald to claim a 15-14 lead.

The Bearcats were in front 20-19 with 5:33 on the clock, before UC Santa Cruz went on a 20-9 run to close out the half. The run included a pair of 3-pointers by Giovannetti.

Katie Kalugin (Sr., G, Woodburn, OR/Woodburn HS) scored the first basket of the second half for Willamette to cut the margin to 39-31. UC Santa Cruz responded with five unanswered points on a jumper by Mackey and a basket and foul shot by Parrish for a 44-31 advantage.

The lead reached 48-34 at the 16:22 mark when Mackey hit two free throws. WU reduced the deficit to 52-43 on a 3-pointer by DeLong with 10:20 remaining.

UC Santa Cruz connected on 43.6% of its field goals (24 of 55), including 5 of 11 on 3-pointers (45.5%). The Banana Slugs sank 20 of 23 free throws (87.0%) and earned a 41-34 rebounding edge.

Willamette shot 30.5% from the field (18 of 59), while hitting 10 of 26 three-point attempts (38.5%). WU was 6 of 8 at the free throw line.

The Bearcats will play again on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Ore. Game time is set for 7 p.m. (PST). Willamette will return home to take on Concordia University (Ore.) on Wednedsay, Nov. 26 at Cone Field House, starting at 7 p.m.