Willamette triumph over La Verne

SALEM, Ore. — Willamette outpaced La Verne 109-98 in a high-scoring matchup at Cone Field House. The Bearcats overcame an early deficit, trailing by 15 points at halftime, before rallying with a dominant 51-point second half. The home team's aggressive defense forced 19 turnovers, converting them into 24 points. La Verne managed nine 3-pointers, but it was not enough to counter Willamette's strong finish.

La Verne's efficient shooting, converting 61 percent from the field with nine 3-pointers, set the pace in the first half. Willamette struggled to keep up with a 39 percent shooting percentage but showed strength off the bench, contributing 18 points. Despite the Bearcats' 18 rebounds, the home team trailed 53-38 at the end of the half.

Willamette rallied in the second half, outscoring La Verne 51-36, largely by capitalizing on free throw opportunities, converting 20 of 23 attempts. The home team also dominated in the paint with 20 points, while forcing seven turnovers, which contributed to fast breaks and a more aggressive offensive stance. Despite La Verne's efforts, including five steals and 13 total rebounds, the half concluded with a tied score of 89-89.

The Bearcats dominated the overtime stretch by outscoring La Verne 20-9, leveraging a strong defensive performance that included three steals and a block. Willamette's offensive efficiency was evident as they converted six of eight field goals, all from inside the paint, and went eight of 10 from the free-throw line. This scoring surge, combined with forcing La Verne into four turnovers, helped extend their lead to 109-98 by the end of the game.

Willamette top performers included Tanner Overby, with 28 points scored and 5 assists, Kellen Sande following with 23 points and 2 steals, Anujan Tennathur with 20 points and 6 rebounds, Dra Uperesa-Thomas with 13 points, and Deacon Perry with 3 steals and 6 rebounds.

The Bearcats improved to 1-0 overall following their victory, with no conference games played yet. La Verne is now 0-1 on the season, also without a conference record.

In their next game, the Bearcats will face Warner Pacific University on Friday, Nov. 8. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at their home court in Salem, Oregon.