By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University trailed nationally-ranked George Fox University by just six points at halftime, 35-29, but the Bruins gained a 12-point scoring margin in the second half to defeat the Bearcats, 71-53, in a Northwest Conference game at Cone Field House on Friday, Feb. 1. George Fox, ranked #21 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, improved to 15-4 on the season, 7-3 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette fell to 11-8 overall, 5-5 in the NWC.

The win by the Bruins evened the season series at one win apiece. Willamette defeated the Bruins, 50-45, in Newberg, Oregon, on Jan. 4.

In the rematch on Saturday, Emily Holder of GFU led all players with 16 points and was 7 of 9 from the field. She scored 12 of her points in the first half. Cassidy Posey chipped in 14 points, while Kylin Collman registered 13 points and Emily Spencer supplied 11 points and four steals. Hailey Hartney provided the Bruins with a game-high 12 rebounds.

Willamette's top scorer was Kassin Hopkins (Sr., Connell, WA/Connell HS/Bellevue College) with 15 points. Amanda Carpenter (Jr., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) tallied nine points, and Madison Ballard (So., G, Monroe, OR/Monroe HS) earned nine points to go along with five boards. Drew Farmer (Sr., PG, Brookings, OR/Brookings-Harbor HS) recorded a game-high five assists. Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Fy., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) contributed eight rebounds for the Bearcats.

The teams played a close battle for most of the first quarter. George Fox held the initial two-possession lead of the game at 10-5 following a layup by Kylin Collman with 6:56 on the clock. WU scored next on a traditional three-point play by Ava Kitchin (Fy., F, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS). The Bearcats and Bruins exchanged baskets for several minutes.

A successful 3-point shot by Ballard at the 3:13 mark allowed the Bearcats to tie the score at 16-16. GFU earned the final six points of the quarter, including two free throws by Collman with one second left, as the Bruins gained a 22-16 lead.

George Fox added four additional unanswered points in the second quarter for a 26-16 advantage with 7:43 left. Willamette scored 10 of the next 14 points during a run that started with a 3-pointer from Ballard and ended with a 3-pointer from Ascuena-Mercil. The Bruins led by just four points, 30-26, with 3:09 to go. GFU extended its advantage to nine points, but a 3-pointer by Ballard with 16 seconds remaining cut the Bruins' lead to 35-29 at the half.

A 6-0 run by George Fox to start the third quarter increased the margin to 41-29 with 8:21 left. The Bearcats achieved a 6-1 run, with Hopkins scoring all six points on a layup and foul shot, plus a 3-point basket, as WU pulled within 42-35 at the 6:28 mark. The Bruins countered with a 7-2 run, starting with a 3-pointer from Haley Strowbridge, to build a 49-37 edge. GFU led 54-41 after three quarters, and the Bruins added two 3-pointers in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

For the game, the Bruins shot 45.0% from the field (27 of 60) and connected on 5 of 13 attempts from 3-point range (38.5%). George Fox hit 12 of 14 free throws (85.7%). Willamette made 19 of 52 field goals (36.5%), including 9 of 31 (29.0%) from behind the arc. The Bearcats sank 6 of 10 attempts at the free throw line. GFU recorded a 40-30 rebounding edge.

The Bearcats will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 7, with an NWC game at Cone Field House against Whitman College. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).