Off to a slow start, the University of Puget Sound women’s basketball team used a second-half surge to pick up an easy 74-45 Northwest Conference victory over winless Willamette on Friday night.
With Willamette’s set offense causing all sorts of trouble for UPS, the Bearcats managed to stay within striking distance for most of the first half. The Loggers (9-4, 2-2 NWC) often found themselves late on defensive rotations and committed 10 turnovers as Willamette (0-2, 0-11) was five points down with under five minutes to go in the first half.
The second half, however, was a completely different story.
UPS, which had a 37-25 halftime lead, came out strong and fast after the intermission. With a 28-8 run in the first 12 minutes, the Loggers put the game well out of reach with their high-pressure defense, sharp shooting and just three turnovers.
“We’ve talked about it. It doesn’t matter what the score is, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we have to play our same game,” UPS coach Loree Payne said.
UPS, which had 10 players score, got a team-high 13 points from freshman starting guard Emily Sheldon. She also had team highs of seven rebounds and three steals.
The Loggers’ leading scorer this season, Kelsey McKinnis, had just seven points on 2-for-5 shooting.
MEN
Puget Sound 75, Willamette 62: The Loggers (6-7, 1-3 NWC) took an early lead and never looked back, getting 23 points from senior guard Rex Holmes in beating the Bearcats (1-1, 4-7).
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.