By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Casey Poe and Hailey Ann Maeda each scored 12 points to lead the Whitman College Missionaries past Willamette University, 60-49, in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday, Feb. 12 at the Sherwood Center. Whitman upped its record to 16-5 overall, 9-4 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 12-10 overall and to 4-9 in the NWC.

Poe hit 5 of 9 field goals, including 2 of 3 shots from 3-point range. Maeda also went 5-9 and added two free throws on two attempts. Poe led the Missionaries with five assists and four steals, while Maeda registered a team-high six rebounds. Allyse Ketner added nine points.

Madi Andresen (So., C, Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS/Clackamas CC) of Willamette led all players with 15 points. She was 7 for 8 on field goal attempts. Ashley Evans (So., PG, Canby, OR/Canby HS) tacked on 10 points, including a pair of 3-point baskets, for the Bearcats. Kylie Towry (Jr./So., G, Medford, OR/South Medford HS) finished with nine points and five rebounds.

Whitman charged out to a 14-5 lead in the first 6:02 of the game. The opening run included baskets by five Missionaries, including one 3-pointer each from Poe and Hailey McDonald.

The Bearcats scored next on a 3-pointer by Evans to cut the lead to six points, but Whitman built a 20-10 advantage with 18 seconds left in the quarter. Andresen scored with one second on the clock to cut the margin to single digits.

WU surged back to tie the game at 22-22 with 6:28 left in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Evans. Whitman regained the lead with a jumper by Maeda to start an 11-0 run for a 31-22 lead with 2:28 remaining in the half. The Missionaries held a 36-24 margin at the break.

Poe opened the second half with a 3-point basket, but Willamette countered with nine consecutive points to pull within 39-33. The final five points during the run were scored on a 3-pointer by Kelsey Walker (So., G, Westerville, OH/Westerville North HS) at the 4:44 mark and a jumper by Marisa Hamilton (Jr., Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) with 3:09 left in the third quarter.

A layup by Chelsi Brewer with 2:36 on the clock gave Whitman a 41-33 lead, which the Missionaries took into the fourth quarter.

Willamette got as close as six points twice in the early minutes of the fourth quarter, including 43-37 following a layup by Towry with 7:07 remaining. The Missionaries put in the next nine points to expand the lead to 52-37. Whitman held a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game.

The Bearcats shot 44.4% (20 of 45) from the field, and connected on 5 of 15 three-pointers (33.3%). Whitman converted a similar percentage on field goals (44.2%), but had seven more attempts and finished 23 of 52. The Missionaries made 6 of 15 shots from 3-point range.

Whitman achieved a 37-27 rebounding margin that included 13 offensive boards. The Missionaries claimed a 6-0 edge in second-chance points. Whitman made 8 of 16 free throws, while Willamette went 4 of 6.

On Saturday, Feb. 13, the Bearcats will take on Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. Game time is slated for 4 p.m. (PST).