By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University placed five players in double figures, led by Cedric Coward (Fy., F, Fresno, CA/Central HS) with 22 points, but Seth Hall scored 30 points for Pacific Lutheran University, and the Lutes defeated the Bearcats, 102-91, at Cone Field House on Friday, Feb. 4. The Lutes improved to 14-6 overall, 9-2 in the Northwest Conference, while the Bearcats fell to 5-13 on the season, 2-8 in the NWC.
In addition to scoring 22 points, Coward led Willamette with 10 rebounds and tied for the team lead with four assists. Jack Boydell (Jr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) provided WU with 18 points. Ryder Hsiung (Fy., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) tallied 11 points and hit 3 of 4 shots from 3-point range. Daniel Plumer (Jr., PG, North Las Vegas, NV/Democracy Preparatory Academy) and Josiah Frank (Fy., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) each scored 10 points. Meelad Doroodchi (So., F, Mooresville, NC/Pine Lake Preparatory) earned five points, five rebounds, and four assists for the Bearcats. The Bearcats played without starting wing Jonathan Watts (Sr., W, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS).
"I'm proud of the way a lot of young kids -- Paul McSlarrow (So., W, Santy, UT/The Waterford School), Ryder Hsiung, and Joshua Perez (Jr., W, Los Angeles, CA/John Marshall HS) -- stepped up for us in Watts' absence to give us some punch," Willamette Men's Head Basketball Coach Kip Ioane said. "Credit to a good PLU team for making shots all night."
Hall scored his 30 points for PLU by putting through 12 of 18 shots, including 3 of 5 three-pointers. He also contributed 12 rebounds, four assists, and three blocked shots. Jordan Thomas achieved 22 points, five boards, seven assists, and two steals. Tyler Ashmore tacked on 14 points, while Sam Noland connected on 3 of 3 long-range shots on his way to 13 points. Noland also hauled down six rebounds.
The Lutes shot 64.5% on field goals (40 of 62), but sank just 13 of 23 free throws (56.5%). Willamette finished at 47.7% from the field (31 of 65) and hit 19 of 25 free throw attempts (76.0%).
Both teams shot well from behind the 3-point line. PLU was successful on 9 of 15 three-point tries, while the Bearcats made 10 of 20 three-point attempts.
Willamette surged out to an 11-4 advantage less than four minutes into the game on the strength of solid play at both ends of the court. The run included a 3-pointer by Doroodchi and ended with back-to-back driving layups by Plumer. PLU committed three turnovers during the run with each leading to two points for the Bearcats.
A 3-pointer by Brett Williams pulled the Lutes within 11-7 at the 15:53 mark and Pacific Lutheran eventually tied the game at 11-11 on a layup by Thomas. A bit later, Willamette took a 16-13 lead on a 3-point shot by Boydell. The Lutes tallied the next five points and held an 18-16 edge following a layup from Ashmore with 13:37 left in the half.
The Bearcats owned a 22-18 margin after Joshua Perez (Jr., W, Los Angeles, CA/John Marshall HS) put in a layup with 11:50 to go. The Lutes responded with eight straight points to open a 17-3 run, as PLU took a 35-25 lead with 7:34 on the clock. The extended run featured three baskets by Ashmore and ended with a 3-pointer by Shane McGaughey-Fick.
Frank added a 3-pointer for the Bearcats to pull WU within 35-28, but PLU answered with a 7-0 surge to move the margin to 42-28 with 5:37 to play. The Lutes maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the half and held a 55-45 edge at the break. Hall scored 18 points in the first half for PLU, while Ashmore earned 12 points and Thomas chipped in 10. Coward scored 11 points for the Bearcats in the opening 20 minutes.
The Lutes attained the first five points of the second half on a layup by Sean McCurdy and a 3-point shot from Williams. The margin reached 66-49 for the Lutes when McCurdy scored at the end of a fast-break with 16:48 left. Pacific Lutheran eventually led 75-53 after Noland hit a 3-pointer at the 13:28 mark and sank 1 of 2 free throws with 12:44 to go.
Hsiung hit a 3-pointer for WU 19 seconds later and the Bearcats went on to reduce the lead to 82-71 on a 3-pointer from Boydell with 8:52 remaining. Pacific Lutheran increased the margin to 90-71 on a layup by Hall with 6:58 left. Willamette moved within 92-80 after Doroodchi scored on a layup at the 5:06 mark, but the Bearcats didn't get closer until the final basket of the game.
The Bearcats will host the University of Puget Sound at Cone Field House on Saturday, Feb. 5. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).