Bearcats Fall to Puget Sound in Semifinal Round of NWC Tournament

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Carolyn Ho (Sr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) scored 16 points and Ava Kitchin (Sr., P, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) added 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists for Willamette University, but the Bearcats fell to the University of Puget Sound, 70-50, in the semifinals of the 2023-24 Northwest Conference Women's Basketball Tournament before a large crowd at Cone Field House. The Loggers built an 18-6 lead in the first quarter, forcing Willamette to battle from behind throughout the game.

Willamette's season ended at 17-9 overall. The Bearcats won the NWC regular season title at 14-2. Puget Sound, which finished fourth in the NWC, improved to 18-8 on the season.

In the first semifinal game, Pacific University downed Whitman College, 58-46. Pacific, now 17-8, will take on Puget Sound in the NWC Championship game on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Cone Field House, with tipoff set for 6 p.m. PST. Whitman concluded its season at 20-6.

Ho was 6 of 13 from the field and 2 for 2 at the free throw line. She sank a pair of 3-point shots. Her long-range efforts were matched by Kaitlin Imai (So., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS) and Jasmine Shigeno (Sr., G, Brush Prairie, WA/Hockinson HS) as each connected on two 3-pointers. Elyse Waldal (Jr., F, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak HS/Linfield University) earned seven points. Imai recorded six points, a team-high six rebounds, and four assists.

Paige Gerhart of Puget Sound registered a double-double, as she led the Loggers with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Gerhart also amassed five assists and three steals. Kennedy Brown chipped in 11 points and Paige Oh earned 10 points. Brown and Oh each sank a trio of 3-point shots. Katie Minnehan grabbed nine rebounds.

The Loggers shot 45.4% for the game (26 of 56), while hitting 10 of 28 three-point attempts (35.6%). The Bearcats converted 34.5% of their shots (19 of 55). WU was 7 of 24 on 3-pointers (29.2%). Puget Sound was credited with a 41-30 rebounding margin.

Willamette held a 3-2 lead after Waldal hit a 3-pointer with 8:24 left in the opening quarter. The Bearcats also led 5-4 on a layup from Kitchin with 6:24 on the clock. Puget Sound followed with a 13-0 run that included three trifectas. The run started with a 3-pointer by Brown ended with a 3-pointer to Gerhart for a 17-5 edge. At the end of the quarter, the Loggers were in front, 18-6.

The second quarter saw the Loggers lead by as many as 15 points, but a 5-0 run by the Bearcats in the final minute cut the margin to 32-22 at halftime. Kitching put through a fast-break layup with 39 seconds to go. Imai sank a 3-pointer with six seconds left.

Ho scored on a jump shot for the first basket of the third quarter, but Gerhart responded with a 3-pointer at the 9:00 mark to give Puget Sound a 35-24 advantage. The Loggers outscored the Bearcats 21-13 in the third period, and owned a 53-35 margin entering the fourth quarter.

The Bearcats qualified for the NWC Tournament for the third time since 2017-18, when WU advanced to the championship game. This year, Waldal led the Bearcats with 12.0 points per game and was joined in double-figures by Ho with 10.7 points per game and Kitchin with 10.3 points per contest.

Ho led the NWC with 89.3% field goal accuracy. She concluded her career with 767 points in 75 games played for an impressive career average of 10.2 points per game. She also earned 302 rebounds, 223 assists, 175 steals, and 35 blocks. Ho and Waldal were named First Team All-NWC. Ho also was chosen NWC Defensive Player of the Year.