By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Daniel Plumer (Fy., PG, North Las Vegas, NV/Democracy Preparatory Academy) scored 23 points to lead three Willamette University players in double figures, but Pacific Lutheran University shot 52.2% from the field and hit 13 three-pointers to defeat the Bearcats, 97-70, on Friday, Jan. 17 at Cone Field House. The Lutes upped its record to 7-8 on the season, 3-3 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette fell to 1-13 overall, 0-5 in the NWC.

Plumer was one of three Bearcats in double figures against the Lutes. Ben Sutton (Jr., F, Seattle, WA/Ingraham HS) provided 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Sutton also contributed five rebounds, two blocked shots and two assists. Jack Boydell (Fy., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) scored 11 points and hit 3 of 7 shots from 3-point range.

Kenny Wright Jr. (Fy., PG, Dallas, TX/R.L. Turner HS) earned nine points on 4-of-7 shooting for Willamette. Cade Whicker (Fy., F, Fruit Heights, UT/Davis HS) supplied eight points, five rebounds and three assists. Willamette connected on 28 of 65 field goals (43.1%). The Bearcats were 7 of 31 on 3-point attempts (22.6%) and hit 7 of 12 free throws (58.3%).

Leading Pacific Lutheran in scoring were Leighton Kingma and Jacob Bingham, each with 20 points. Kingma was 7 of 12 from the field, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range. Bingham sank 7 of 11 shots, while hitting 6 of 10 three-pointers. Jordan Thomas and Seth Hall each scored 13 points. Dylan McConnell recorded nine points for PLU, and led all players with 10 rebounds. The Lutes shot 40.6% from behind the 3-point arc (13 of 32).

The Lutes scored eight of the game's first 10 points to take an early lead. Kingma recorded six points during the run on a 3-point basket and a traditional three-point play. Conor Geiger tallied the final two points with 17:42 on the clock. Willamette countered with a 7-0 run that ended with a traditional three-point play by Whicker for a 9-8 lead with 15:58 left in the half. WU also owned a one-point lead at 11-10 on a jump shot by Plumer at the 15:07 mark.

Pacific Lutheran surged back in front 17-11 with seven unanswered points. Hall scored five points during the run. Sutton scored next for WU on a basket in the paint, but Geiger answered with a 3-pointer to give the Lutes a 20-13 edge with 12:58 remaining in the half. A bit later, the Lute scored five unanswered points for a 27-18 advantage with 10:30 to play. PLU's lead remained between six and nine points for the next three minutes, with the Lutes owning a 33-24 margin at the 7:12 mark.

The visitors pulled away with an 18-5 run to end the half, as the Lutes took a 41-29 lead. Kingma tallied 13 points in the first half, while Hall added 11 points. Three Bearcats -- Sutton, Plumer and Boydell -- each had six points at the break.

Boydell scored the opening basket of the second half for Willamette on a layup 25 seconds into the period. The teams exchanged baskets during most of the first 10 minutes of the half, with WU getting as close as 21 points at 70-49 on a fast-break layup by Wright Jr. with 12:57 left. Pacific Lutheran owned an 82-54 lead with 10:26 to go, following a 3-pointer by Bingham.

For the game, PLU earned a 40-35 rebounding edge. The Lutes forced Willamette into 18 turnovers, while the Lutes lost the ball 11 times. Both teams scored quite a few points in the paint, with Pacific Lutheran outscoring the Bearcats 40-34 on close-range shots.

Willamette will play at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, on Saturday, Jan. 18. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).