Puget Sound Closes Game with 15-2 Run to Defeat Bearcats, 68-52

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, WASH. -- The University of Puget Sound held a slim 53-50 lead over Willamette University with 3:23 left in the fourth quarter, but the Loggers outscored the Bearcats 15-2 the rest of the way to claim a 68-52 win in Northwest Conference women's basketball action on Friday, Feb. 2 at Memorial Fieldhouse. Puget Sound evened its record at 10-10 on the season and improved to 5-6 in the NWC. Willamette moved to 12-9 overall, 8-4 in the NWC.

Kylie Towry (Sr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) of Willamette became the Bearcats' career scoring leader when she sank two free throws with 5:38 left in the first quarter. She ended the game with six points and now has 1,314 points in her career. She passed Jenny Joseph, who scored 1,309 points for the Bearcats from 1993-94 through 1996-97. Towry entered the game with 1,308 points and was averaging 17.2 points per game this year.

Although Puget Sound kept Towry's scoring to a minimum, the Loggers could not prevent Willamette's other top scorers from reaching double digits. Britanny Kochenderfer (Jr., G, Klamath Falls, OR/Henley HS/Idaho State Univ.) provided WU with 15 points and was 5 for 8 on field goals. She also hauled down six rebounds and supplied four assists. Ashley Evans (Sr., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) contributed 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. Kochenderfer and Evans each hit three 3-point shots for the Bearcats. Towry was held without a 3-point basket for the first time this season after scoring from 3-point range in each of Willamette's first 20 games.

Celine Gregoire (Sr./Jr., P, Woodburn, OR/ Woodburn Academy) grabbed six rebounds on Friday to tie Kochenderfer for team-high honors. Towry and Elizabeth Logsdon (So., F, McMinnville, OR/McMinnville HS) each matched Evans with four boards for the Bearcats. Willamette gained a 39-37 edge in team rebounds.

Jamie Lange topped Puget Sound with 17 points, 13 rebounds and three steals. She was 7 of 13 from the field. Elizabeth Prewitt produced 12 points and six boards, while Claire Fitzgerald added 10 points. The Loggers shot 43.3% for the game (26 of 6), including 66.7% in the fourth quarter. The Loggers held Willamette to 32.7% shooting (18 of 55).

WU was 8 of 27 from 3-point range (29.6%), while Puget Sound finished 3 for 8 from long-range (37.5%). The Loggers took 11 more free throws than the Bearcats, with Puget Sound going 13 for 24 (54.2%), while Willamette hit 8 of 13 (61.5%). The Loggers forced 18 turnovers by Willamette, while Puget Sound lost the ball just seven times.

Kochenderfer scored the game's first five points on a 3-pointer just 39 seocnds into the contest and two free throws with 7:45 left in the opening quarter. The Loggers pulled within 5-4 on a layup by Meghan Hamel with 5:58 to go, but Towry connected her career record-setting free throws 20 seconds later to increase Willamette's lead to 7-4.

The next four points went to Puget Sound on a pair of jumpers by Fitzgerald. The Bearcats regained the lead at 9-8 on a jumper by Kochenderfer with 4:00 on the clock, but the Loggers ended the quarter with a 10-2 surge for an 18-11 advantage. Cassidy Daugherty completed the run with a 3-point basket with two seconds left.

Willamette cut the margin to 20-18 with 7:33 remaining in the half by going on a a 7-2 run to start the second period. The last four points of the offensive outburst were scored by Towry on two free throws and a jump shot. Prewitt countered with a 3-pointer at the 6:54 mark. The Loggers eventually took a 28-18 lead on a jumper by Prewitt with 2:28 to go before halftime. Willamette closed the half strong and reduced Puget Sound's lead to 31-27 at the break. Mary Eckenrode (Sr., G, Higley, AZ/Highland HS) scored the final points of the half on a 3-pointer with five seconds left.

Three-pointers by Kochenderfer and Eckenrode, plus a jumper by Kochenderfer, gave the Bearcats a 35-31 edge less than five minutes into the third quarter. The Bearcats outscored the Loggers 13-7 during the quarter and began the final 10 minutes with a 40-38 lead. The teams were tied twice early in the fourth quarter, including 43-43 with 6:56 remaining, following a jumper by RaeAnn Allen of Puget Sound. The Loggers moved in front for good, 45-43, on a jumper by Kirstin Hafeman at the 6:04 mark. Lange tacked on a layup to give the Loggers a four-point lead.

The Loggers took a 50-45 advantage before a traditional three-point play by Logsdon pulled the Bearcats within 50-48 with 4:14 on the clock. Courtney Knecht provided Puget Sound with a traditional three-point play, before Evans made a jump shot with 3:23 left to cut the margin to 53-50. Puget Sound tallied the next nine points, including a three-point play by Lange, to take control at 62-50 with 41 seconds to go.

After playing four games in eight days, the Bearcats will not play again until Friday, Feb. 9 at Pacific University. Game time is set for 6 p.m. (PST).