By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
PASADENA, Calif. -- Starters Whitney Anderson (So., G, Willamina, OR/Willamina HS) and Kylie Towry (Jr./So., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) led Willamette University to a big lead, and Celine Gregoire (Fr., F, Woodburn, OR/ Woodburn Academy) helped close out the win with 10 points in the fourth quarter, as the Bearcats defeated California Institute of Technology, 69-36, on Friday, Dec. 18.
Willamette upped its record to 6-2 on the season. Caltech fell to 1-4.
Gregoire finished with a game-high 15 points while hitting 7 of 9 field goals. Anderson scored 12 points, including nine in the first half. Towry tacked on 11 points, with eight points in the first half. Towry also supplied four assists and five steals.
Mary Eckenrode (So., PG, Higley, AZ/Highland HS) scored nine points for the Bearcats. Ashley Evans (So., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) contributed eight points, four assists and three steals.
Alex Wert (Jr., F, Spokane, WA/St. George's HS) recorded nine rebounds, six assists and a blocked shot for Willamette. Marisa Hamilton (Jr./So., F, Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) matched Wert with nine rebounds, and also provided three steals.
Michelle Wong and Stephanie Wong each scored 11 points for Caltech. Kate Lewis added eight points, nine rebounds and three assists.
The efforts of Anderson and Towry helped Willamette build a 30-15 halftime lead. Each team scored 16 points in the third period, allowing the Bearcats to take a 46-31 advantage into the fourth quarter. Led by Gregoire, WU outscored the Beavers, 23-5, over the final 10 minutes.
Willamette shot out to an 11-4 lead on the strength of two 3-pointers by Anderson and one 3-pointer by Evans. Caltech pulled within 11-9 on a free throw by Michelle Wong with 2:08 left in the first quater. A jumper by Eckenrod with 22-seconds on the clock gave WU a 13-9 edge.
The Bearcats claimed a 17-6 scoring advantage in the second quarter to expand the margin to 15 points. Willamette held just a 15-11 lead after Lewis scored for the Beavers at the 8:44 mark. WU tallied six of the next eight points on 3-point baskets by Towry and Anderson for a 21-13 lead.
After Lewis made a layup for Caltech with 5:57 remaining, the Bearcats ended the half with a 9-0 run. The offensive surge featured five points from Towry, including a traditional three-point play. Gregoire began the run with a layup and Wert completed the run with a layup with 2:29 to go. Neither team scored during the rest of the half.
Willamette led by as many as 19 points in the third quarter at 46-27 following a layup by Hamilton with 0:49 left. Caltech recorded the last four points of the quarter on a pair of baskets by Lewis.
Gregoire scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to start an 18-0 run by the Bearcats. Michelle Wong ended the scoreless streak for the Beavers with a 3-pointer at the 1:39 mark.
The Bearcats shot 40.3% for the game (29 of 72), including 45.9% (17 of 37) in the second half. WU connected on 9 of 31 three-pointers (29.0%), led by four from Anderson. Caltech was held to 30.6% shooting (15 of 49). The Beavers hit 3 of 10 three-point attempts.
Willamette gained a 45-30 rebounding margin and forced Caltech into 21 turnvoers, as the Bearcats registered 14 steals. WU lost the ball just 11 times.
Neither team shot many free throws. Willamette finished 2 for 2 at the line, while Caltech went 3 for 6.
The Bearcats will play at Whittier College on Saturday, Dec. 19. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. (PST).
