By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University sank 14 three-point shots in the first half, and West Coast Baptist College made 14 three-pointers in the second half, in a high-scoring contest won by the Bearcats 115-106 on Friday, Dec. 9 at Cone Field House. Overall, Willamette hit 17 of 35 three-point attempts (48.6%), while WCBC put through 21 of 47 shots (44.7%) from behind the arc. The Bearcats advanced their record to 3-5 on the season, while the Eagles fell to 1-8.
Ryder Hsiung (So., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) scored a career-high 30 points for Willamette to lead all five Bearcat starters in double figures. Josiah Frank (So., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) supplied 20 points, while Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) chipped in 18 points. Mason Hoffman (Jr., F, Sammamish, WA/Seattle Preparatory School) tacked on 13 points and Mitch Lind (Fy., G, Midway, UT/Wasatch HS) finished with 11.
Job Sichting of West Coast Baptist led all players with 43 points, including 25 points in the first half. Lucas Hernandez scored 24 points, Nathanael King added 11, and Kosta Fefelov provided 10.
"This was a win we absolutely had to have and the guys found a way to get it done," Willamette Head Men's Basketball Coach Kip Ioane said. "Credit to West Coast Baptist for a helluva comeback ... Job Sichting for them was unbelievable ... but I am very proud of our resolve down the stretch. Coming away with a win before finals week is HUGE for us."
The Eagles scored the game's first three points on a shot by Sichting. The Bearcats countered with 3-pointers by Hoffman and Hsiung to grab a 6-3 lead. Later, the Eagles moved in front twice, ending with a 14-13 lead on a 3-pointer by Hernandez at the 16:45 mark. It was WCBC's final lead, as Willamette followed with an 18-0 run.
WU's offensive explosion began with a four-point play by Hoffman on a 3-pointer and a foul shot. Hoffman added another 3-pointer for the next points during the run, as the Bearcats took a 20-14 lead. Frank scored on a 3-point shot, and Gavin Rippere (Jr., F, Vancouver, WA/Salinas HS/Clark College) provided two driving layups, as the margin reached 27-14. Boydell completed the run with a layup at the 13:32 mark and a pair of free throws for a 31-14 lead with 13:06 left in the opening half.
The Bearcats continued to pull away in the final minutes of the half for a 72-44 lead at the intermission. With 7:34 remaining in the half, WU owned a 46-33 margin after a layup by Ethan Delaney of West Coast Baptist. The Bearcats extended the lead to 56-35 over the next two minutes with a 10-2 run that ended on back-to-back 3-pointers by Paul McSlarrow (Jr., W, Sandy, UT/The Waterford School) and Lind. Willamette then closed the half with a 16-9 run that featured nine points by Frank on a trio of 3-pointers.
When WCBC returned to the court for the second half, the Eagles were hot from 3-point range and they connected on nine of their first 10 attempts. Willamette struggled on offense over the same segment, as WCBC reduced the lead to nine-points at 86-77 following a fast-break layup by King with 13:09 on the clock. Hernandez scored five of the Eagles' 3-pointers during the run. The 33-14 outburst concluded with 17 consecutive points for the Eagles, starting with five 3-point baskets.
Willamette stopped the surge when Hsiung provided an offensive rebound, followed immediately by a layup and a foul shot for an 89-77 lead with 12:39 left in the game. The Bearcats extended the margin to 91-77 with a layup by Boydell just 24 seconds later.
The Bearcats still had to fend off the Eagles who moved within 93-87 on a pair of free throws by King with 9:36 to go. After Hsiung tacked on two free throws for the Bearcats on their next possession, the West Coast Baptist answered with a 3-pointer by Gabe Delaney at the 8:39 mark.
A 3-point basket by Hsiung with 6:20 remaining completed a 7-2 run by the Bearcats for a 102-92 lead. The Eagles tallied the next four points to pull within 102-96, but two free throws by Boydell and a layup by Hsiung extended the margin to 106-96 with 3:56 to play. Willamette held off WCBC the rest of the way, although the Eagles pulled within 110-105 on a 3-pointer by Hernandez with 43 seconds left. Boydell was fouled immediately after the ensuing in-bounds pass, and he sank both free throws to give WU a three-possession lead at 112-105. The Bearcats connected on 3 of 4 free throws in the final 24 seconds to secure the victory.
For the game, Willamette shot 47.9% from the field (35 of 73), while WCBC shot 45.1% (32 of 71). The Bearcats sank 28 of 33 free throws for 84.8% and the Eagles went 21 of 29 at the line for 72.4%. Boydell hit 9 of 9 free throws and Hsiung was 10 of 13 for the Bearcats. Sichting made 12 of 13 free throws for the Eagles.
Each team put together one half of exceptional 3-point shooting. WU's 3-point accuracy in the first half was 63.6% (14 of 22). West Coast Baptist shot 56.0% on 3-pointers (14 of 25) in the second half. Willamette earned a 51-32 rebounding margin, led by Lind with nine boards, Boydell with seven, and Hsiung with six. Ethan Delaney topped WCBC with 11 rebounds.
The teams piled up 43 assists, with WU holding a 23-20 edge. Boydell and Hsiung each provided the Bearcats with four assists, while Sichting of WCBC led all players with 11 assists. Frank topped both teams with three seals for the Bearcats.
Willamette will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 20 with a 2 p.m. (PST) tipoff against Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) at Cone Field House. Both teams compete in NCAA Division III, with Willamette in the Northwest Conference and Hardin-Simmons in the American Southwest Conference.
