By Sara Brooks, Assistant Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6219

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's basketball team will continue its quest for the Bearcats' first Northwest Conference win of the season on Friday, Jan. 15. The Bearcats will face off against George Fox University at 8 p.m. (PDT) in Newberg, Ore.

Willamette is 0-5 in the NWC and 2-12 overall. George Fox heads into the game with a 4-0 NWC record and an 11-2 overall record.

Previous Game

Willamette vs. Lewis & Clark College

Lewis & Clark won a defensive battle on Tuesday, Jan. 12 in Cone Field House, 61-40. The Bearcats and Pioneers battled through a physical game in which baskets were difficult to come by. The two teams combined to score just eleven points in the first ten minutes of the second half.

Once again, the Bearcats gave up a big run in the closing minutes of the first half and were never able to recover. Lewis & Clark went on a 32-13 run to close the first half.

Kaileigh Westermann (So., P, Belfair, WA/South Kitsap HS) did not back down from the physical play. Westermann finished the game with ten points and five rebounds. Senior Nicki Clowdsley (Post, Sammamish,WA/Skyline HS) scored seven points, hauled down four rebounds and earned three steals in just 16 minutes of play.

Tonight's Opponent

George Fox University
Nickname: Bruins
Location: Newberg, Ore.
Affiliations: NCAA Division III, Northwest Conference
2008-09 Record: 32-0, 16-0 NWC - NCAA Division III National Champions and NWC Champions
2009-10 Record: 11-2, 4-0 NWC
Last Meeting: L&C won 67-55 on Feb. 20, 2009

The defending NCAA Division III National Champions are currently ranked 7th in the latest WBCA poll and 10th by D3hoops.com. The Bruins have won 23 straight NWC regular season games. George Fox has won the last fourteen meetings with the Bearcats. WU last defeated GF on Feb. 9, 2002.

George Fox leads the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 52 points per game. They rank third in scoring offense, averaging 63 points per game. The Bruins rank near the top of the conference in almost every statistical category.

Sophomore Keisha Gordon is the leading scorer for the Bruins, averaging 13.5 points per game in NWC play. Hannah Munger, a 6'5" freshman, adds 10.3 points per game.

Bearcat Fast Breaks

* Willamette is ranked 2nd in the NWC in team rebounding with 41.2 rebounds per game.

* Alex Zennan is ranked 1st in three point field goals made per game (2.64), 5th in scoring (15.2) and 5th in steals (2.14).

* Keilyn Fujioka is ranked 2nd in rebounds per game (8.3) and 2nd in blocks per game (2).

* The Bearcats need to find a way to score after halftime. WU is currently being out-scored 507-368 in the second half.

* Zennan needs just 17 three pointers in the eleven remaining games to tie for third place in three point shots made in a single season in WU history.