SALEM, Ore. – Four different Bearcats scored in double figures led by Kaitlin Imai and Gio Horner with a team-high 16 points each, as Willamette's women's basketball team fell to the visiting Lions of Multnomah University, 80-71, Saturday evening inside Cone Field House.
With tonight's result, Willamette falls to 1-3 overall and Multnomah evens its record at 2-2 on their young season.
Along with Imai and Horner, Elyse Waldal and Emma Floyd added 11 points each. On the boards, Floyd led all players with a game-high seven rebounds to go along with a team-best three assists registered by Peyton Gardner, Imai, and Horner.
Multnomah was led offensively by Teyah Clark with a game-high 21 points to lead five Lions in double figures. Clark was aided offensively by Jersey Huerta (18 points), Kyana Brucelas (12 points), Makayla Tornornoo (11 points), and Reya Lee (10 points). On the boards, Gracie Browning pulled down a team-high six rebounds with Browning handing out a game-high eight assists for Multnomah. As a team, Multnomah would get 42 points off its bench as three of the Lions' four reserve players scored in double figures.
Willamette began the game by jumping out to a quick 6-0 lead and then increased its advantage to nine points (11-2) on a Horner free throw with 6:52 remaining the first quarter. Over the next three-plus minutes, Multnomah used a 10-4 run to pull within two points (14-12) before the Bearcats extended their lead to seven points (21-14) on a Floyd lay up with 41 seconds on the clock. The visiting Lions would close the gap to three points (21-18) at the end of the first quarter thanks to a 4-0 run in the final minute.
Over the first two-plus minutes of the second quarter, Multnomah used a 6-3 run to even the score at 24-apiece and then slowly increased its lead to six points (33-27) on a Tornornoo lay up with 3:41 left in the first half. Willamette would pull within three points (39-36) at halftime behind a 9-6 run to close out the quarter, as the first half scoring concluded with a free throw by Maya Sanders.
Coming out of the halftime break, Willamette used a quick 4-0 run over the first 49 seconds to go back up by a single point (40-39) on a pull up jumper in the paint by Imai. The visiting Lions would not quit though as Multnomah used a 16-6 run over the next six-plus minutes to pull in front by nine points (55-46) on a free throw by Lee with just over three minutes left in the third quarter. Willamette would get as close as four points (55-51) on a three-pointer by Imai with 2:16 on the clock. Unfortunately, that would be the closest that the Bearcats would get with the visiting Lions increasing their lead to seven points (58-51) after three quarters.
The final quarter would see Willamette pull within two points (62-60) on back-to-back free throws by Imai with 7:36 left in the game. The Bearcats would not be able to get any closer for the remainder of the game, as Multnomah used a 13-7 run over the next six minutes to push its lead back to eight points (75-67). The visiting Lions would grab the game's only double-digit lead (77-67) after back-to-back free throws from Huerta with just over 30 seconds left in the game. Timely free throw shooting down the stretch by Multnomah would be too much for Willamette, as the Bearcats watched the Lions hit 5-of-6 shots from the charity stripe for the final margin of nine points (80-71).
Overall, Willamette shot 25-for-55 (45.5%) from the field that included 7-of-22 (31.8%) from behind the three-point line. The Bearcats would hit 14-of-19 (73.7%) free throws over the course of the game. On the other hand, Multnomah was a combined 28-for-65 (43.1%) from the field, 6-of-26 (23.1%) from long distance, and 18-of-24 (75.0%) at the free throw line.
Willamette will make its return to the hardwood following the Thanksgiving holiday on Friday, November 29, when the Bearcats host the University of Redlands (Calif.) starting at 2:00 PM inside Cone Field House.
