By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University led nationally ranked Saint John's University (Minn.) by six points at halftime and held a 48-47 advantage with 14:18 remaining in the game, but the Johnnies rallied for an 82-69 win over the Bearcats, on Saturday, Dec. 21 at Cone Field House. The teams were tied 55-55 with 9:58 to go, before SJU went on a 12-2 run.

SJU, ranked #11 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll advanced its record to 9-1 on the season. Willamette ended the game at 1-8 overall. It was Willamette's second loss to a nationally ranked opponent in as many days. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, ranked #15 by D3hoops.com, defeated the Bearcats on Friday.

Four of Willamette's losses have been to teams with a combined record of 37-3 (.925) and five of the teams have a combined record of 44-6 (.880). In addition to UWL at 8-0 and SJU at 9-1, the Bearcats have lost to Buena Vista University (Iowa), 10-1, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 10-1, and Montclair State University (N.J.), 7-3.

Daniel Plumer (Fy., PG, North Las Vegas, NV/Democracy Preparatory Academy) was WU's top scorer against St. John's on Saturday, as he scored 14 points to go along with five boards and three assists. Cade Whicker (Fy., F, Fruit Heights, UT/Davis HS) produced 12 points and six rebounds.

Justus Eaglesmith (Jr., G, Sparks, NV/Spanish Springs HS) scored 11 points and sank 3 of 5 three-point shots for the Bearcats. Ben Sutton (Jr., F, Seattle, WA/Ingraham HS) contributed 10 points, five rebounds and two assists.

"I was super impressed with both our opponents (they were as good as advertised) and our guys' play today." We battled and fought for 40 minutes and went toe-to-toe with a top 11 team."
--- Willamette Head Coach Kip Ioane

Lucas Walford paced St. John's with 24 points, as he hit all 10 of his shots from the field and went 4 for 8 at the free throw line. Walford led all players with 15 rebounds, while earning four assists, and two blocked shots. Colton Codute supplied the Johnnies with 20 points and was 6 of 15 on field goals -- all from 3-point range. Oakley Baker tallied 17 points and was 5 of 10 on 3-pointers. Jubie Alade added 16 points.

Both teams shot well on 3-pointers. SJU connected on 13 of 31 long-range shots (41.9%). The Bearcats made 10 of 18 three-point shots (55.6%).

St. John's opened the game with a 3-pointer by Alade just 12 seconds after the tipoff. Willamette moved in front 6-3 at the end of the first minute on a pair of 3-pointers by Eaglesmith. A bit later, the Bearcats went on a 7-0 run with a layup by Whicker, a 3-pointer from Plumer and another layup by Whicker for a 13-5 lead with 16:47 left in the half.

The teams were tied at 15-15 following a 3-pointer by Codute of SJU with 12:01 on the clock. A layup by Sutton and a 3-pointer by Jonathan Watts (So., W, San Deigo, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) gave Willamette a 20-15 advantage at the 9:46 mark.

When Alec Barba (Jr., G, Dallas, OR/Central HS) sank a 3-pointer with 7:49 to go in the half, he increased WU's margin to 27-19. A bit later, the Bearcats pushed the lead to 11 points at 37-26 on a 3-pointer by Dylan Streett (So., W, Santa Barbara, CA/Biship Diego HS) with 1:46 left.

The Johnnies cut the deficit to 37-30 on a layup by Walford with 40 seconds to play. Walford was fouled while scoring, but missed the free throw. SJU rebounded the ball, but committed a turnover. WU called timeout with 27 seconds left, and Plumer scored on a driving layup with six seconds remaining. Baker connected on a 3-pointer for the Johnnies at the buzzer, reducing the Bearcats' lead to 39-33.

SJU recorded the first eight points of the second half to claim a 41-39 advantage. Willamette tallied the next four points for a 43-41 lead, but Baker moved St. John's back in front, 44-43, on a 3-point shot with 17:22 remaining. A jumper by Whicker gave WU a 45-44 edge with 16:00 on the clock, before Baker tacked on another 3-pointer for the Johnnies to give the visitors a 47-45 lead. Whicker responded with a 3-pointer for the Bearcats, who slipped into the lead at 48-47 with 14:18 to play.

The teams were tied at 55-55 following a 3-pointer by Jack Boydell (Fr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) of Willamette at the 9:58 mark. St. John's followed with a 12-2 surge that ended with a layup by Alade with 5:57 to go and the Johnnies holding a 67-57 lead.

Willamette pulled within 67-61 on a free throw by Plumer with 3:40 left, but 3-pointers from Codute at 3:18 and 2:38 increased the Johnnies' advantage to 73-61. Codute's long-range shots opened a 15-5 run that gave St. John's an 82-66 lead in the final minute. Plumer sank the game's final 3-pointer for Willamette with three seconds to go.

St. John's shot 51.8% on field goals (29 of 56), including 64.0% (16 of 25) in the second half. Overall, Willamette hit 45.0% of its field goals (27 of 60), after making 16 of 28 shots (57.1%) in the first half. WU committed just seven turnovers, while the Johnnies lost the ball 11 times. SJU earned a 39-31 rebounding margin.

The Bearcats will host NCAA Division III opponent Louisiana College on Monday, Dec. 30. Tipoff at Cone Field House is set for 5 p.m. (PST).