NEWBERG, Ore. - The Southwestern University women's basketball team could not overcome a hot-shooting Willamette squad as they dropped their second straight contest in the Pacific Northwest, falling to the Bearcats 77-57 on Saturday afternoon on the campus of George Fox University.
The Pirates shot 34% from the field and got to the free throw line 25 times, converting 15 times (60%). On the other side, Willametter shot 26 of 57 from the field (46%) including an impressive 12 of 26 (46%) from deep. Southwestern won the rebounding battle, 42-36, and in a relatively clean game, the Pirates turned the ball over 14 times to Willamette's 11.
Southwestern took a 9-5 lead in the early goings of the first quarter, but a quick 6-0 run on back-to-back 3s gave the Bearcats an 11-9 lead. Willamette maintained that two point lead into the end of the quarter, 15-13.
The two teams were knotted at 19 in the second half before a 10-2 run gave Willamette its biggest lead at the time at 29-21. Southwestern closed the gap back down to five before back-to-back buckets, including another 3, made it 34-24. Willamette maintained its 10 point lead going into the break at 39-29.
Willamette was in complete command in the third quarter, increading their lead as high as 22 points while closing the game out in the fourth quarter, earning the 77-57 win.
Sophomore Cecily Woolfolk led the offense for the second straight night, scoring 15 on 6 of 10 shooting and five rebounds while junior Tori Carraway scored 11 to go with 12 rebounds, including five offensive rebounds to go with a steal and block. Senior Madison Lasater had eight points and two assists while sophomore Naomi Brown scored eight off the bench to go with four rebounds.
Kylie Towry led the Bearcats with 16 points while Ashley Evans scored 15 including five 3-pointers and Brittany Kochenderfer had 12 points, seven boards, and two blocks.
Southwestern goes to 0-2 and will return home to Texas. They will prepare for their home opener in the Robertson Center on Tuesday as they welcome in Concordia Texas for a 5:30 PM tip-off.