By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Josiah Frank (So., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) scored 16 points for Willamette University against the Northwest Conference leaders from Whitman College, but the Blues downed the Bearcats, 85-64, at the Sherwood Center on Friday, Feb. 17. With the victory, Whitman moved its record up to 20-4 on the season, 13-2 in the NWC. The Blues have a three-game lead over the University of Puget Sound (10-5) and Whitworth University (10-5) in the NWC standings with one game remaining for each team in the regular season. Willamette fell to 5-18 overall, 1-14 in the NWC.

Frank reached his 16-point total by connecting on 4 of 9 field goals and 8 of 10 free throws. Ryder Hsiung (So., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) provided Willamette with 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including a 3-for-5 effort from 3-point range. Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) scored 12 points and hauled down six rebounds. Gavin Rippere (Jr., F, Vancouver, WA/Salinas HS/Clark College) and Mitch Lind (Fy., G, Midway, UT/Wasatch HS) both tallied eight points, while Terry Sherman (So., F, Lake Charles, LA/St. Louis Catholic HS) and Levi Basurto (Fy., W, Lahaina, HI/Maui Preparatory Academy) each grabbed six boards.

Xzavier Lino and Jai Deshpande topped the Blues with 13 points each. Lino was 5 for 6 from the field and hit 3 of 4 three-point attempts. Murphy Caffo supplied 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Lino and Nikola Trifunovic were each credited with five rebounds. Grant Hunt scored nine points and earned five assists for Whitman.

Hunt earned the first four points of the game for Whitman by making 1 of 2 free throws just 47 seconds after the opening tip, then adding a 3-pointer at the 18:41 mark. Willamette scored next on a 3-pointer by Hsiung to pull within 4-3, and the teams exchanged several additional baskets. The Blues went on a 12-0 run to turn a slim 8-7 lead into a 20-7 advantage with 13:19 left in the half. Whitman's offensive surge included four points by Jander Cline and two points each by four other players.

Willamette ended Whitman's run when Rippere sank a turn-around jumper in the lane. The Blues scored next on a jumper by Trifunovic at the 12:28 mark and Whitman led by 12 to 17 points for several minutes. A 3-pointer by Aidan von Buchwaldt, plus a layup from Ali Efe Isik and a layup by Weston Crump increased the Blues' margin to 41-17 with 6:43 on the clock. Whitman owned a 56-28 lead at halftime.

The Blues produced the first five points of the second half, but the Bearcats outscored Whitman 36-29 over the final 20 minutes. Willamette reduced the margin to 81-62 on a driving layup by Frank with 3:46 remaining.

Whitman converted 32 of 71 field goals (45.1%) and made 11 of 28 shots (39.3%) from behind the arc. Willamette hit 23 of 66 shots from the field (34.8%), but hit just 4 of 21 (19.0%) from 3-point range. The Bearcats sank 14 of 17 free throws (82.4%), while the Blues went 10 for 16 (62.5%) at the free throw line.

Although the Blues won by a comfortable margin, the stats for rebounding, scoring in the paint, and second-chance points were close. Whitman held a 39-37 rebounding margin, but both teams had 10 offensive boards. The Blues finished with a 12-10 margin in second-chance points and a 42-36 advantage in the paint.

Willamette will complete its season at Whitworth University on Saturday, Feb 18. Tipoff in Spokane, Washington, is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).