By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Carolyn Ho (Jr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) led Willamette University with 11 points, three assists, and four steals at Whitman College on Friday, Feb. 17, but the Blues defeated the Bearcats, 63-40. Whitman improved to 18-5 overall and to 13-2 in the Northwest Conference, as the Blues remained in a tie for first place with the University of Puget Sound. Willamette ended the night at 13-11 overall, 8-7 in the NWC. The Bearcats are in fourth place in the NWC standings, one game in front of Whitworth University (7-8) and George Fox University (7-8) with one game remaining in the regular season.

The Bearcats will play at Whitworth University on Saturday, Feb. 18. Game time in Spokane, Washington, is set for 4 p.m. (PST). If the Bearcats defeat the Pirates, Willamette will clinch fourth place and receive a berth in the NWC Tournament next week. If the Bearcats lose to Whitworth, fourth place will be determined by a tie-breaker.

In the game at Whitman, Ho was 3 for 6 from the field, including 3 for 5 on 3-point shots. Kaitlin Imai (Fy., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS) added eight points for the Bearcats, while Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Sr., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) contributed seven points and a team-high six rebounds. Ashley Collins (Jr., P, Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills HS) scored six points for Willamette.

Whitman's top scorer was Carly Martin with 16 points. She also tied for the team lead with six rebounds and registered a team-high four assists. Elena McHargue scored 13 points while hitting 6 of 9 field goals. McHargue led all players with six steals. Lindsay Drango also scored 13 points, and provided Whitman with five rebounds.

The Bearcats tallied five of the first seven points for a 5-2 lead with 6:52 to go in the opening quarter. Ascuena-Mercil earned WU's first goal on a layup, while Ho broke a 2-2 tie by hitting a 3-pointer. Whitman put up the next five points to move in front 7-5 on a 3-pointer by Natalie Lundberg. Willamette tacked on a 3-pointer by Imai for an 8-7 lead at the 4:51 mark, but the Blues countered with a 6-1 surge to end the quarter with a 13-9 advantage.

Early in the second quarter, baskets by Emmie Ogden and Drango gave the Blues a 17-9 lead. A bit later, Whitman owned an 11-point margin before Ho made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 22-14 with 7:28 to play in the half. Whitman produced the next seven points to grab a 29-14 lead on a jump shot by McHargue. The Blues held a 31-17 advantage at halftime.

Whitman created the first basket of the second half on a layup by Drango, but Willamette soon reduced the deficit to 13 points on a 3-pointer by Ho. Two free throws from Ho with 7:05 left in the third quarter also moved the Bearcats within 13 points at 35-22. Whitman followed with a 6-0 run for a 41-22 lead and the Blues maintained at least a 17-point edge for the remainder of the game.

The Blue connected on 25 of 52 shots from the field (48.1%) and made 5 of 11 three-point attempts (45.4%). Whitman held Willamette to 28.3% on field goals (13 of 46), including 5 for 20 (25.0%) on 3-pointers. The Blues outrebounded the Bearcats 35-24.