Willamette Willam 9-9,4-5 NWC

Whitman Whitm 18-1,10-0 NWC

Willamette Willam

9-9,4-5 NWC

Final

Jan. 29, 2022

Whitman Whitm

18-1,10-0 NWC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Willamette Willam	19	11	15	16	61
Whitman Whitm	17	15	17	18	67

Summary
Box Score

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 1/29/2022 7:22:00 PM

No. 6 Women's Basketball Tops Willamette In NWC Action

WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Kaylie McCracken delivered 22 points and 13 rebounds to help the No. 6 Whitman College women's basketball team overcome a poor free throw shooting night to top Willamette 67-61 in Northwest Conference action on Saturday night at the Sherwood Center.

Whitman (18-1, 10-0 NWC) shot just north of 50% from the line but was able to capitalize on second chance opportunities. The Blues doubled up the Bearcats on the offensive glass leading to a 12-4 advantage in second chance points.

Megan River led Willamette with 14 points and four assists, with Ava Kitchin adding nine points, six rebounds and three steals.

The Blues started slow but Korin Baker's offense kept them in the game. Four of her six first-quarter points came two possessions apart as she scored in the paint to keep the deficit at three points with 3:10 to play. Macy Hampton later nailed a three pointer inside of a minute to cut the lead to one point, but Willamette ended up carrying a 19-17 lead into the second quarter.

Whitman got it rolling in the second frame. Baker hit from the floor to make it a one-point game, then Lindsey Drango scored on a layup to give the Blues their first lead at 24-23 with 5:37 to play. Baker added another and, with 3:36 to play, Elena McHargue hit a jumper to push the lead to three points. McCracken hit a pair of buckets inside of two minutes and Whitman headed to the locker room up 32-30.

The Blues pushed the lead to as many as seven points in the third quarter but couldn't shake the Bearcats. Sydney Abbott hit from the floor to put her team up 43-36 but Claire Bonnet and Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil each scored to cut the lead to two.

Whitman was unable to pull away in the fourth quarter completely due to its struggles at the line, but nevertheless led by as many as 11 points. Willamette cut its deficit to as little as three points on a Riggs basket with 3:22 to play, but McCracken responded with a pair of buckets to make it a 64-57 lead with 2:25 remaining.

The Blues take their undefeated NWC act on the road for two straight weekends, first visiting Pacific on Friday, Feb. 4.

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