By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's basketball game at the University of Puget Sound on Friday, Jan. 12 has been changed to a 4 p.m. PST tipoff due to the weather. The Willamette men's basketball game against the Loggers will follow at 6 p.m. Both games have been moved two hours earlier than originally scheduled.

Willamette is tied with Pacific University for first place in the NWC women's basketball standings with a 4-1 record. Puget Sound and Whitman, both at 3-1 in the NWC are one-half game behind the Bearcats and Boxers in the battle for the conference lead. Willamette is 7-7 on the season and Puget Sound is 9-4.

Elyse Waldal (Jr., F, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak HS/Linfield University) leads the Bearcats in scoring with 12.4 points per game. She also ranks first on the team with 30 three-point baskets. Also averaging in double figures for Willamette are Kaitlin Imai (So., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS) with 10.5 points per game and Carolyn Ho (Sr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) with 10.3 points per contest.

Ava Kitchin (Sr., P, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) tops the rebound chart with 6.1 boards per game. Ho leads the Bearcats with 3.4 assists per game and ranks second with 5.3 rebounds per contest.

Willamette has allowed just 63.8 points per game. The Bearcats have scored on 102 three-point shots while holding opponents to 72 three-pointers.

The Loggers are led by Kennedy Brown with 14.6 points per game. Paige Gerhart has added 12.5 points per contest and Jordyn Reverman has supplied 10.3 points per game.