BOX SCORE
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Lewis & Clark men's basketball team fed off the crowd in the Pamplin Sports Complex on Friday night, picking up a dominating 99-77 win over the Willamette Bearcats on PAC(K) Pamplin. The Pioneers were paced by 30 points from Marcus Wells, while both Kelly Edwards and Donato Perconti scored 22.
The Pioneers improve to 13-3 overall and 6-1 in Northwest Conference action. The Bearcats fall to 4-12 on the season and 1-6 in conference play.
Wells was one of five Pioneers to finish in double figures, scoring 30 points, while Edwards and Perconti each scored 22. PJ Taylor ended the nights with 14 points and Kyle Meeuwsen chipped in 11 points. Lewis & Clark was strong from the charity stripe, finishing 25-for-30, led by Edwards (10-10) and Wells (8-8). Edwards also finished the game with a game-high nine rebounds.
Taylor Mounts was the Bearcats leading scorer with 29 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The first half was a back and forth battle in the opening minutes, with neither team able to earn a distinct advantage. Lewis & Clark picked up a 49-34 lead, their largest of the half, with 3:42 to play in the first half on a solid three-pointer from Perconti.
Willamette went on a 15-4 run with a little over three minutes to play to pull his team within four points of the Pioneers. Terrell Malley hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to pull Willamette within four points, 53-49, of the Pioneers.
Willamette opened the second half hot, going on an 8-1 run, capturing a 57-54 lead. The Pioneers tied the game at 57 all and then 59 all, before going onto take the lead for good on a huge three-pointer from Wells with 16:39 remaining.
The Bearcats pulled within 71-67 with a little over 12 minutes remaining, but the Pioneers would bolt out to a 14 point lead. Wells provided the final eight points of the Pioneers 13-3 run, which lasted four minutes, after hitting back-to-back free-throws. The Pioneers would continue to put the peddle to the floor, steadily climbing to a 99-77 victory.
The Pios return to the court on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. when they travel to Tacoma, Wash., to take on the Puget Sound Loggers.
