Tacoma, Wash. - Tanner Overby scored a career-high 19 points on 9 of 10 shooting from the field but it wasn't enough as the Bearcats fell to Pacific Lutheran University 84-69. With Overby, Caleb Moore, and Kai Brown attacking the basket, Willamette outscored the Lutes in the paint, but PLU's advantage on second-chance points and points off turnovers led them to victory.
The game started with the teams trading baskets as a Kai Brown three-pointer gave Willamette a 5-4 lead until a long jumper by PLU put them back ahead. Consecutive jump shots by Overby tied the score at 11-11 before the Lutes went on a 10-2 run to take a 21-13 lead. Overby and Moore continued to score at the basket to keep the Bearcats within striking distance and a D'Ante Dean layup with just over a minute left in the first half cut the PLU advantage to seven at 38-31, the lead they would take to the halftime break.
Another three-pointer by Brown started the second half for the Bearcats to pull them within six points at 40-34 and consecutive lay-ups by Overby pulled Willamette even closer at 48-44 with just over fifteen minutes left in the contest. Unfortunately, that would be the final bucket for the Bearcats for almost five minutes, during which PLU went on an 11-0 run to push their lead to 59-44 midway through the second half. Willamette pushed late to pull within ten at 79-69, but the Lutes held on for the 84-69 victory.
In addition to Overby's 19, Willamette had three other players in double figures with 11 by Kai Brown and Josiah Frank and 10 by Caleb Moore. Dean led the Bearcats in rebounds with 11 and assists with three.
Willamette returns to Tacoma on Friday, February 21st to take on the University of Puget Sound at 6:00 pm before coming home the next night for Senior Night when they host Pacific University for a 4:00 pm tipoff.
Willamette Top Performers
9/10 shots made
19 points
2 rebounds
10 points
2 assists
11 points
2 steals
11 rebounds
3 assists
