Balanced Attack Leads Bearcats to 91-58 Win on Saturday

By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -– The Willamette University women's basketball team jumped out to an early lead and rolled to a 91-58 win over Illinois Tech (Chicago) at the Colorado College Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, Nov. 25. The Bearcats improved to 2-4 on the season while Illinois Tech moved to 1-5 overall. It was the first time the Bearcats scored more than 90 points since a 92-40 victory against Elms College (Mass.) on Dec. 30, 2002.

The game was tied 4-4 before Willamette went on a 21-2 run to take a 25-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. Emma Floyd (So., F, Camano Island, WA/Stanwood HS) knocked down a pair of three-pointers to net six points in the opening stanza as seven different players scored for the Bearcats.

The Scarlet Hawks regrouped to outscore Willamette, 21-17, in the second period to cut the deficit to 15 at halftime. During the second quarter, Carolyn Ho (Sr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) tallied seven points, three rebounds, and three steals to lead the way. Floyd added two more three-pointers before the break with the Bearcats leading, 42-27. Ava Kitchin (Sr., P, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) and Ashley Collins (Sr., P, Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills HS) each controlled five rebounds in the first half as well.

Willamette started the second half with a 6-0 run and remained in control of the game throughout the third quarter, outscoring IIT, 31-14, behind 11 points from Ho, as she went 5-for-5 from the floor. Elyse Waldal (So., F, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak HS) added seven points and a pair of assists, while Kaitlin Imai (So., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS) and Peyton Gardner (So., G, Bend, OR/Bend HS) each handed out three assists in the third.

The Bearcats slowed things down in the fourth, edging the Hawks 18-17 behind another balanced scoring attack and a 17-8 rebounding advantage. Jasmine Shigeno (Sr., G, Brush Prairie, WA/Hockinson HS) put five points on the board to go with five rebounds from Gardner.

Ho led all scorers on the day with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the floor. She finished with six rebounds, five assists and five steals. Floyd scored 16 points, hitting four three-pointers while recording four steals. Four Bearcats reached double-figures on the afternoon. Imai had 13 points and four assists, while Waldal netted 11 points to go with six rebounds.

Willamette held a 51-33 advantage on the boards with Collins pulling down a team-high eight rebounds with Gardner and Kitchin each finishing with six. Gardner also handed out a game-high eight assists in the win.

The Bearcats open Northwest Conference play on Dec. 1, when they will travel to Whitworth University. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. PST.