By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- George Fox University shot 55.9% from the field as the Bruins downed Willamette University, 81-50, in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday, Jan. 26 at the Wheeler Sports Center. The Bruins hit 33 of 59 field goals, as they improved to 15-3 on the season and to 8-1 in the NWC. GFU received votes in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25, but did not break into the poll. Willamette fell to 10-8 overall, 6-3 in the NWC. Kylie Towry (Sr., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) scored 16 points and grabbed four assists for the Bearcats.

Towry was the only Willamette player in double figures. She increased her career scoring to 1,266 points and hit two 3-point baskets to improve her school record to 272 career three-pointers. Towry has scored in double figures in 17 of 18 games this season, while hitting at least one 3-point shot in every game. In Friday's game, Towry moved into eighth place on Willamette career  list with 239 assists. She moved past Lesslie Knight (1983-87), who recorded 238 assists.

Drew Farmer (So., PG, Brookings, OR/Brookings-Harbor HS) contributed eight points and was 4 for 5 on field goals. Ashley Evans (Sr., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) and Whitney Anderson (Sr., G, Willamina, OR/Willamina HS) each scored six points. Evans earned two assists, three steals and one blocked shot.

Kaitlin Jamieson of GFU matched Towry with 16 points. Jamieson, who hit 7 of 8 field goals, also grabbed five rebounds for the Bruins. Emily Spencer added 10 points, four assists and two steals. Tavin Headings provided the Bruins with nine points and a game-high six rebounds. Emily Holder also hit the nets for nine points. GFU outrebounded the Bearcats, 40-20, including 13 offensive boards.

George Fox broke a 2-2 tie by going on a 6-0 run. The run started with a layup by Headings, included a jumper by Madison Hull and ended with a jumper by Holder with 5:49 left in the first quarter. A 3-pointer by Evans, pulled WU within 8-5 just 14 seconds later and a layup by Celine Gregoire (Sr./Jr., P, Woodburn, OR/ Woodburn Academy) at the 4:34 mark reduced the lead to 8-7.

The Bruins responded with an 8-2 surge for a 16-9 lead after Jamieson sank a layup with 2:10 on the clock. Willamette cut the margin to 16-12 on a 3-pointer by Towry, but George Fox ended the quarter with a 6-2 run for a 22-14 advantage.

GFU scored the first points of the second quarter on a layup by Hull for a 24-14 lead. Willamette trailed by just eight points two times later in the quarter, including 26-18 following a layup by Towry with 7:02 remaining in the half. The Bruins outscored the Bearcats 15-8 to complete the second quarter, as the home team took a 41-26 lead into the halftime break. Jamieson scored 12 of her 16 points in the first 20 minutes.

The second half opened with a layup by Jamieson and a 3-pointer from Headings, as the Bruins increased their lead to 46-26 with 7:06 to go in the third quarter. Willamette tallied the next basket on a jumper by Farmer, but the Bearcats were unable to get closer the rest of the way.

Willamette shot 36.5% for the game (19 of 52), but hit only 3 of 10 field goals in the second quarter and made just 3 of 14 attempts in the third quarter. George Fox made 5 of 17 three-point shots (29.4%), while the Bearcats connected on just 4 of 20 long-range attempts. Each team committed 16 turnovers, but George Fox held a 26-9 advantage in points scored off turnovers.

The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 27, when they will take on Lewis & Clark College. Game time in Portland, Oregon, is slated for 5 p.m. (PST). WU defeated the Pioneers, 74-65, in Salem, Oregon, on Dec. 1.