Willamette University

Women's Basketball | Saturday, January 28, 2006

League Leading Lutes Take Out Bearcats

TACOMA, Wash. — Pacific Lutheran held Willamette to a 22 percent night from the field in a 67-35 Northwest Conference win over the Willamette University women's basketball team Saturday at Olson Auditorium.
Laura Payne led Willamette with 18 points on 7-14 shooting and six rebounds.

The Lutes improved to 16-2 overall, 9-1 in the conference. Willamette is 5-13 overall including 0-10 in conference games.

The Lutes scored the first eight points of the game and never looked back. PLU built a 35-11 halftime advantage as the Bearcats connected on just 4-of-28 field goal attempts (14.3 percent) in the first half.

Willamette improved its shooting in the second half, but the Lutes led by as many as 38 points before settling for the final 32 point margin of victory.

Kelly Turner and Kezia Long each scored 17 points and Nikki Johnson had 12 points to lead the scoring. Johnson and Melissa Richardson both pulled down 11 rebounds.