By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
NEWBERG, Ore. -- Kylie Towry (Sr./Jr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) scored a game-high 16 points, and Ashley Evans (Sr., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) sank five 3-pointers for an additional 15 points, to lead Willamette University in a 77-57 victory over Southwestern University (Texas) in the second round of the Bruin Classic on Saturday, Nov. 18. Willamette evened its record at 1-1 on the season. Southwestern fell to 0-2. In the other second round game, host George Fox University defeated Trinity University (Texas), 65-61.
"I'm very proud of the way we bounced back today. This was a great team win for us," Willamette Head Coach Peg Swadener said. "We had a lot of strong individual performances, but our 19 assists on 26 baskets shows how well we came together tonight."
Towry led all players in scoring and was 3 of 9 on 3-point shots. She also earned three assists. Evans went 5 for 7 on 3-pointers. Willamette was 12 of 26 on 3-pointers as a team (46.2%).
In her career, Towry has recorded 994 points for the Bearcats. She needs just six points to reach the 1,000-point mark.
Overall, five Bearcats provided double-digit scoring against Southwestern. Britanny Kochenderfer (Jr., Klamath Falls, OR/Henley HS/Idaho State Univ.) scored 12 points, while Celine Gregoire (Sr./Jr., P, Woodburn, OR/ Woodburn Academy) and Amanda Carpenter (Fr., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) each contributed 10 points.
Gregoire hauled down nine rebounds. Kochenderfer supplied seven boards, and Mary Eckenrode (Sr., G, Higley, AZ/Highland HS) dished out four assists. The Bearcats registered 19 assists during the game.
Cecily Woolfolk scored 15 points for Southwestern. Tori Carraway finished with a double-double for the Pirates with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Madison Lasater and Naomi Brown scored eight points apiece.
Woolfolk (6 of 10) and Carraway (4 of 8) shot a combined 10 for 18 from the field (55.6%), but the rest of the Pirates were just 11 of 43 (25.6%).
Willamette's 12 three-pointers gave the Bearcats a huge advantage, as Southwestern did not make a three-pointer and took just three long-range shots. The Pirates gained a 42-36 rebounding margin, but committed 14 turnovers, compared to 11 turnovers by the Bearcats.
Southwestern owned a 9-5 lead after Carraway sank a jumper with 6:38 left in the first quarter. The Bearcats responded with an 8-0 run on a 3-pointer by Towry, a 3-pointer by Carpenter, and a jumper from Drew Farmer (So., PG, Brookings, OR/Brookings Harbor HS). WU led 15-13 at the end of the quarter.
The Pirates tied the score twice in the first minute of the second period, and took a 19-17 advantage at the 8:31 mark on a layup by Brown. Gregoire scored the next points on a layup by Willamette, starting a 7-0 run by the Bearcats for a 24-19 lead. The offensive surge also included a basket and foul shot by Towry, plus a jumper by Kochenderfer.
Willamette extended the lead to 34-24 on a 3-pointer by Evans with 3:55 to go in the half. Later, a free throw by Eckenrode gave WU an 11-point lead at 37-26 with 39 seconds on the clock. The Bearcats led 39-29 at the break.
A 13-4 run by the Bearcats at the start of the third quarter increased the margin to 52-33. The run featured two 3-pointers by Evans and one trifecta from Kochenderfer. WU held a 58-38 lead with 1:46 remaining in the quarter, but Southwestern ended the period with an 8-0 run to pull within 58-46.
When Brown put in a layup with 9:43 left in the game, the Pirates were as close as 10 points. Evans provided some more breathing room for the Bearcats by connecting on a 3-pointer 10 seconds later. Carraway put up two free throws for Southwestern with 9:09 to go, but Willamette countered with a 7-0 outburst for a 68-50 lead at the 4:16 mark.
Willamette shot 45.6% for the game (26 of 57) and hit 13 of 19 free throws (68.4%). The Pirates shot just 34.4% from the field (34.4%) and made 15 of 25 charity shots (60.0%).
The Bearcats will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 21 with the regular season home opener against Northwest Christian University. Tipoff at Cone Field House is set for 6 p.m. (PST).
