Bearcats End Game with 22-7 Run to Defeat Corban 66-57 in Exhibition

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

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's basketball team trailed Corban University 50-44 with 7:14 left in the fourth quarter on Sunday, Oct. 30 at Cone Field House, but the Bearcats ended the exhibition game with a 22-7 run for a 66-57 victory. Megan River (Jr., G, Tumwater, WA/A.G. West Black Hills HS) led the Bearcats with 14 points and five assists, including 12 points in the final five minutes of the game.

Although the game was an exhibition for Willamette, it was the season opener for Corban, which fell to 0-1. Willamette will play another exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 7 at the University of Portland at 5 p.m. (PST).

Willamette is set to open the regular season at home on Friday, Nov. 11, when the Bearcats will take on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) at Cone Field House. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).

River was 4 for 4 from the field and 4 for 4 at the free throws line during her fourth quarter scoring surge. She led Willamette's charge to overtake the Warriors, but she received plenty of help from teammates, as five other Bearcats scored during the fourth quarter.

On the final scoresheet, River's 14 points for the game were followed by 13 points from Kaitlin Imai (Fy., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS) and nine points by Carolyn Ho (Jr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS). Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Sr., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) topped all players with 11 rebounds, while Ho and Danielle Morgan (Sr., F, Lompoc, CA/Allan Hancock HS) each grabbed eight boards. Ho blocked three shots. Ashley Collins (So., P, Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills HS) chipped in seven points and six rebounds. Imai earned four assists and three steals.

Holly Golenor was the top scorer for Corban with 14 points. She also provided a team-high seven rebounds. Maddie Godwin added 13 points, while Izzy Boring and Kirsten Koehnke each scored eight points. Godwin also registered three steals.

Corban entered the final quarter with a 44-42 lead. Ho tied the game with a layup at the 9:42 mark, but the Warriors added a 3-pointer by Koehnke to regain the lead. Koehnke tacked on 1 of 2 free throws with 7:58 to go and Kaci Paffhausen scored on a jumper for a 50-44 lead.

Momentum gradually shifted to the Bearcats. Two free throws by Morgan reduced Corban's lead to 50-46. After Gemma LaVergne made 1 of 2 fre throws with 6:11 to go, Willamette answered with a basket by Collins at the 5:14 mark and a jumper from River with 4:42 remaining, as the lead reduced to 51-50. Imai went 1 for 2 at the free throw line to tie the game with 3:13 left. River sank a jump shot with 2:55 on the clock to put the Bearcats in front at 53-51.

The Warriors tied the game on a pair of charity shots by LaVergne with 2:46 left. Willamette tallied the next five points on a floating jumper by River and a 3-point basket by Imai for a 58-53 lead with 2:01 to play. Boring scored the next basket for Corban 16 seconds later to reduce the margin to three points, but WU followed with a 6-0 run to claim a 64-55 advantage with 33 second remaining. River started the run with a jump shot and later added two free throws. Ascuena-Mercil completed the surge with two free throws.

In the first quarter, Willamette moved out to a 12-6 lead in the first 6:28. The Bearcats entered the second quarter with a 13-12 edge, but Corban gained a 16-15 lead with 6:27 to go on a layup by Golenor. The Bearcats countered with a 7-2 run for a 22-18 lead as the clock reached 4:17 left before halftime. Willamette took a 31-24 lead into the break.

An 8-4 run by the Bearcats to start the third quarter expanded WU's lead to 11 points, 39-28, with 6:04 left. Willamette held a 42-32 advantage with 4:53 remaining in the quarter. The Warriors concluded the quarter with a 12-0 run, starting with five points from Godwin.

The Warriors outscored Willamette 20-11 in the third quarter, but the Bearcats accumulated a 24-13 scoring margin in the fourth quarter. Willamette connected on 21 of 61 field goals (34.4%) during the game and limited Corban to 28.8% shooting (21 of 73). WU finished 4 for 24 (16.7%) on 3-pointers, while Corban was 2 for 21 (9.5%) from beyond the arc. The Bearcats gained an edge at the free throw line at 74.1% (20 of 27). Corban shot 59.1% at  the line (59.1%).