By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's basketball team will play two college teams in Canada during an international tour on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15. NCAA rules allow colleges and universities to compete in one international tour every four years. The Bearcats play in NCAA Division III and the Northwest Conference.

Willamette will open the tour by taking on Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, British Columbia, on Friday. Game time is set for 8 p.m. (PDT). The Bearcats will complete the tour on Saturday against Langara College in Vancouver, Washington. Tipoff on Saturday is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT).

The Bearcats have 13 returning players, including four seniors, and six newcomers. The new members of the team include five first-year players and one transfer. Willamette's overall lineup will work to offset the loss of last year's top scorer and rebounder, Cedric Coward, who averaged 19.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game before transferring to Eastern Washington University in NCAA Division I.

Willamette's top three returning scorers will lead the way. They are Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS), Jonathan Watts (Sr., W, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS), and Daniel Plumer (Sr., G, North Las Vegas, NV/Democracy Preparatory Academy).

Boydell provided 14.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in 2021-22, while leading the Bearcats with 38 three-pointers. He also sank 42 of 52 free throws for 80.8% and registered 30 steals. Watts missed six games while recovering from injuries, but contributed 14.0 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds per contest. He shot 40.2% from 3-point range (33 of 82) and ranked first on the team with 81.4% free throw success (57 of 70). Plumer scored 12.2 points per game and supplied 50 assists (2.1 avg.). He made 30 three-point shots and averaged 3.0 rebounds per game.

Plumer has scored 756 points in 53 career games played (49 starts) for an average of 14.3 points per game. Boydell has earned 622 career points in 53 games played (11.7 avg.) and has grabbed 200 career rebounds (3.8 avg.). Watts has scored 610 career points while sinking 81 three-pointers and shooting 46.8% from 3-point range. He is 109 of 132 on career free throws for 82.6%.

Other top returning scorers from last year are Josiah Frank (So., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS), Kenny Wright Jr. (Jr., G, Dallas, TX/R.L. Turner HS), and Ryder Hsiung (So., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School). Frank supplied the Bearcats with 6.6 points per game, while Wright Jr. produced 5.4 points per contest, and Hsiung averaged 5.0 points per game.

Also returning for the Bearcats are Terry Sherman (So., F, Lake Charles, LA/St. Louis Catholic HS), Joshua Perez (Sr., W, Los Angeles, CA/John Marshall HS), Meelad Doroodchi (Jr., F, Mooresville, NC/Pine Lake Preparatory), Paul McSlarrow (Jr., W, Sandy, UT/The Waterford School), Dylan Green (So., F, Lakewood, CO/Green Mountain HS), Mason Hoffman (Jr., F, Sammamish, WA/Seattle Preparatory School), and Jordan Pearce (Jr. F, Meridian, ID/Meridian HS).

First-year players for the Bearcats include Mitch Lind (Fy., G, Midway, UT/Wasatch HS), O'Neil Drury (Fy., G, Ojai, CA/Rio Mesa HS), Jake Grossman (Fy., W, Henderson, NV/Coronado HS), Levi Basurto (Fy., W, Lahaina, HI/Maui Preparatory Academy), and Kahiau Bruhn (Fy., W, Waimanola, HI/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama). Gavin Rippere (Jr., F, Vancouver, WA/Salinas HS/Clark College) is a transfer from Clark College in Vancouver, Washington.

After returning from Canada, the Bearcats are scheduled to play exhibition games at Corban University on Monday, Oct. 31 and at Bushnell University on Saturday, Nov. 5. Willamette will open the regular season on Friday, Nov. 11 at Cone Field House against Portland Bible College. Game time in Salem, Oregon, is set for 8 p.m. (PST).