By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communication

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University guards Josiah Frank (Jr., Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) and Anujan Tennathur (Fy., Cupertino, CA/Saint Francis HS) each scored 21 points to lead the Bearcats to a 129-44 win over Portland Bible College on Saturday, Dec. 30 at Cone Field House. The result set a Willamette record for margin of victory at 85 points.

The 129 points scored by the Bearcats were the second-highest total in school history, trailing only the 137 points scored in a 140-137 loss in three overtimes at the University of Puget Sound on Dec. 1, 2006. 

Against Portland Bible on Saturday, the Bearcats connected on 21 of 37 three-point shots, finishing just two 3-pointers short of the school record. WU hit 23 three-pointers in a 126-66 win over Northwest Indian College on Jan. 12, 2019, and the Bearcats made 22 three-point shots in a 98-66 win over Douglas College (Canada) on Dec. 30, 2022.

Frank scored 21 points by hitting 5 of 9 on field goals, including 5 of 8 on 3-pointers. He went 6 for 6 at the line and contributed three assists and one steal. Tennathur reached 21 points by converting 7 of 9 field goals. He was 1 for 2 on 3-pointers and matched Frank with a 6-for-6 effort on free throws. Tennathur added three rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Three other Bearcats achieved double-digit scoring totals against the Arrows. Jack Boydell (Grad., W, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) tallied 17 points to go along with three rebounds, a steal, and a blocked shot. Gavin Weisweaver (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Vallivue HS/Treasure Valley CC) also scored 17 points, while earning two assists and one steal. Boydell 5 for 7 on 3-point shots. Weisweaver made 3 of 4 long-range shots.

Kahiau Bruhn (So., W, Waimanalo, HI/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama) added 13 points for the Bearcats, while succeeding on 3 of 5 three-point shots. He earned five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a blocked shot.

D'Ante Dean (Jr., F, Nassau, Bahamas/British Columbia Christian Acad./Peninsula College) and Dylan Green (Jr., F, Lakewood, CO/Green Mountain HS) tied for the Willamette lead with nine rebounds. Green also supplied the Bearcats with six assists. Ryder Hsiung (Jr., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) provided eight points, six assists, and one steal, while Caleb Moore (So., G, Wadley, GA/Washington County HS/Bard College) finished with five assists and four steals.

Trevor Vermillion topped Portland Bible with eight points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots. Samuel Reese also scored eight points for the Arrows. Jimmie Proctor registered seven points, three rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot.

Overall, Willamette shot 60.6% from the field (43 of 71) and went 22 for 25 at the free throw line (80.0%). The Bearcats were exceptionally accurate in the second half, when they hit 24 of 34 shots (70.6%), including 13 of 18 on 3-pointers (72.2%). WU earned a 45-23 rebounding margin.

Portland Bible made just 17 of 57 field goals (29.8%), while going 2 for 8 on 3-pointers. The Arrows were 8 for 9 at the free throw line.

Willamette scored the first 10 points of the game, ending with a pair of 3-pointers by Weisweaver.  Rashad Hickson provided the Arrows with a driving layup before the Bearcats added an 11-0 run to expand the margin to 21-2 with 14:27 left in the first half. The run started with a 3-pointer by Hsiung and also included two points each by Dean, Moore, DJ Jones (Fy., F, Surprise, AZ/Valley Vista HS), and Boydell.

The Bearcats continued to dominate play and eventually held a 48-8 lead following a 3-point jumper from Weisweaver with 6:41 on the clock. Willamette took a 59-19 advantage into the halftime break. Weisweaver topped all players with 13 points in the first half, while Dean of WU and Vermillion of PBC each had seven rebounds at the intermission.

Reese provided the Arrows with a traditional three-point play to start the second half, but the Bearcats replied with a 13-0 surge for a 72-22 lead after Weisweaver sank two free throws with 17:14 remaining.

Willamette will take on Linfield University on Friday, Jan. 5 at Cone Field House, as the Bearcats and Wildcats return to Northwest Conference action. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. PST.