Strong Finish Sends Willamette Past Pacific Lutheran, 60-55

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, Wash. -- Willamette University scored the final five points of the game to break a tie in the final two minutes, as the Bearcats outscored Pacific Lutheran University 20-9 in the fourth quarter and rallied to defeat the Lutes, 60-55, on Friday, Jan. 13 at Olson Auditorium. The Bearcats, who trailed 46-40 after three quarters, improved their record to 7-7 overall and to 2-3 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific Lutheran fell to 0-14 this season, including 0-5 in the NWC.

"I'm really proud of the resilience we showed tonight," Willamette Head Women's Basketball Coach Peg Swadener said. "Regardless of their record, PLU is a talented team, and to be able to come from behind to get the win on the road is a great thing."

Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Sr., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) provided WU with a double-double, as she scored 10 points as part of a balanced offensive attack and grabbed 10 rebounds. She was 5 for 8 from the field and also earned two assists before fouling out with 2:20 remaining. Claire Bonnet (Sr., G, Boise, ID/Boise HS) and Megan River (Jr., G, Tumwater, WA/A.G. West Black Hills HS) each scored a team-high 11 points for the Bearcats. River went 5 for 5 at the free throw line and was credited with three assists. Bonnet led Willamette with three 3-pointers.

Also contributing to the Bearcats' balanced scoring were Carolyn Ho (Jr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) and Kaitlin Imai (Fy., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS). Ho finished with eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Imai scored seven points and blocked three shots.

Ashley Akamine of Pacific Lutheran topped all scorers with 24 points and was 8 of 17 from the field. She hit 3 of 7 three-point shots and was 5 for 6 at the free throw line. Akamine registered six rebounds to match Stacie Spahr for the team lead. Ava Edmonds supplied the Lutes with nine points, while Taylor Schmidtke tallied eight points.

The Bearcats used a short 5-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter to reduce the Lutes' edge to 48-45 on a 3-pointer from Bonnet. The Bearcats eventually trailed by just one point at 51-50 on a layup by Imai with 5:28 on the clock. Imai tacked on a 3-pointer at the 4:40 mark and Ascuena-Mercil added a layup with 3:19 to go following a steal by Ho, giving WU a 55-51 lead. PLU evened the score with two layups by Akamine with 2:36 and 1:54 left.

On Willamette's next possession, Ho grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a layup with 1:20 remaining to put WU in front 57-55. The Bearcats forced the Luetes into a 10-second violation in the backcourt. WU then kept the ball until Edmonds recorded a steal with 48 seconds to play. As the clock reached 24 seconds, Akamine missed a 3-pointer and Ho hauled down the rebound. Ho was fouled and sank both free throws with 18 seconds left for a 58-55 lead. Edmonds missed a 3-point shot with four seconds left. Bonnet completed the win for Willamette by hitting a pair of free throws with one second on the clock.

During the game, the Bearcats connected on 22 of 61 field goals (36.1%) and made six 3-pointers. PLU was 21 of 55 from the field (38.2%), including eight 3-pointers. Willamette sank 10 of 12 free throws, while the Lutes hit 5 of 6, as both teams shot 83.3% at the line. Willamette attained an edge in three key scoring categories, as the Bearcats claimed a 14-3 lead in second-chance points, an 18-10 advantage in bench scoring, and a 16-10 margin in points off turnovers.

In the first quarter, Willamette took a 7-3 lead with 6:19 to go, after scoring on a layup by Ho, a rebound and a layup by Ascuena-Mercil , and a 3-point basket from Ho. PLU ended the first quarter with a 14-2 run, and opened the second period with a 5-2 surge, as the Lutes grabbed a 22-11 advantage. WU stopped the Lutes' run and pulled within eight points at 22-14 and 25-17, each time on a 3-pointer by Bonnet.

A bit later, the Lutes expanded the margin to 29-17 on a layup by Edmonds at the 6:26 mark. PLU held a 32-21 lead following a 3-pointer by Schmidtke with 1:44 left, but Willamette moved within 32-25 by scoring the final four points of the second quarter.

WU reduced PLU's lead to 32-29 by starting the third quarter with a layup by Ascuena-Mercil and two free throws by River. The Bearcats also moved as close as three points a bit later at 36-33 on a layup from Ascuena-Mercil with 6:40 to play. Pacific Lutheran regained an eight point lead at 41-33 on a 3-pointer by Schmidtke with 4:15 left in the quarter, but a 3-point basket by Emma Floyd (Fy., F, Camano Island, WA/Stanwood HS) with 26 second to go moved WU as close as 44-40. Akamina provided PLU with the final points of the quarter on a layup as the clock reached seven seconds.

The Bearcats will return to Salem, Oregon, to host Pacific University in an NWC match-up on Saturday, Jan. 14. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. (PST) at Cone Field House.