Imai and Horner Score in Double Figures in 54-45 Loss to Rival Linfield

SALEM, Ore. – The duo of Kaitlin Imai and Gio Horner scored in double figures with 15 and 14 points, respectively, as Willamette University's women's basketball team fell in a heart-breaker to rival Linfield University, 54-45, Friday night inside Cone Field House.

With tonight's result, Willamette falls to 8-14 overall and 5-8 in Northwest Conference games. On the other hand, Linfield improves to 18-4 overall and 9-4 in NWC contests.

Along with Imai and Horner, Peyton Gardner add five points to go along with a trio of Bearcats – Daisy Boling-Schmidt, Addie Hiler, and Emma Floyd – all scoring three points apiece. Boling-Schmidt led all players with a game-high 13 rebounds for Willamette, as Gardner dished out a team-leading four assists.

Following a 10-10 tie with 2:53 on the clock, Linfield closed out the opening quarter with four straight points to close out the first 10 minutes of play resulting in a 14-10 lead for the visiting Wildcats.

Over the opening two-plus minutes of the second quarter, Linfield pushed its leads to six points (18-12) before Willamette battled back to within two points (24-22) thanks to a 10-4 run over a span of five minutes capped by an Imai lay-in with 2:28 remaining in the first half. The visiting Wildcats would secure a four-point advantage (26-22) at the break after scoring the final bucket of the second quarter.

The third quarter started with Linfield pushing its lead to eight points (33-25) with 6:41 on the clock before Willamette used a 12-3 run over a span of six-plus minutes to secure a one-point lead (37-36) on a three-pointer by Horner with less than 10 seconds left. Unfortuantely, Linfield would score the final points of the quarter once again when Miki Vermeulen knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer to secure a 39-37 lead for the visiting Wildcats.

Willamette would regain the lead at 42-39 on another Horner three-pointer before the host Bearcats continued to hold the lead (44-41) on a Horner lay-in with just over five minutes left in the game. Unfortunately, that would be the last time that Willamette would hold the lead, as Linfield used a 14-1 run over the final five-plus minutes en route to securing the victory (54-45).

Linfield was led offensively by Allie Mead with 12 points, while Vermeulen and Eve Burke added nine and eight points, respectively. On the glass, Gillyan Landis pulled down a team-high eight rebounds to go along with a game-high five assists by Burke.

As a team, Willamette combined to shoot 16-for-59 (27.1%) from the field to go along with a 5-for-28 (17.9%) showing from beyond the three-point line. The Bearcats also knocked down 8-of-12 (66.7%) shots at the free throw line. On the other hand, Linfield was a combined 21-for-58 (36.2%) from the field, 4-for-17 (23.5%) from long distance, and 8-for-12 (66.7%) at the charity stripe.

Willamette returns to action tomorrow – Saturday, February 15 – on the road against the Lutes of Pacific Lutheran University starting at approximately 6:00 PM in Tacoma, Washington.