PORTLAND, Ore. – After a considerable loss against Willamette in a rescheduled game earlier this week, the Lewis & Clark Pioneers came home to host the Linfield Wildcats, winning in a 64-60 thriller on Friday night at Pamplin Sports Center. 

Jamison Richards and Karli Mukai led the Pioneers with a combined 32 points on the night. Richards hit a key jumper with 44 seconds left on the clock to put the Pioneers up by two points and sealed the win after sinking two free throws with 14 seconds to go. Mukai finished with a career-high 17 points, a career-high three steals, and shot 100 percent from the free-throw line.

The momentum shifted in the Pioneers' favor in the second quarter after an eight-minute Wildcat scoring drought saw Lewis & Clark come back from a 10 point deficit. The Pioneers ended the first half up by a point, 36-35. 

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Key Moments

The Pioneers aggressive play saw them establish an early lead with Charlotte Carroll, Mukai, and Richards taking the Pioneers on a 9-4 run. Soon after, the Wildcats went on a 6-17 run to bring the score to 15-25 at the end of the first quarter. The Wildcats were led by Gillyan Landis in the first quarter with six of her eight points on the night. Delsie Jonhson, Richards and Mukai combined for 13 points in the first quarter. 

Starting the second quarter at a 10-point disadvantage, the Pioneers were able to chip away at the gap as the Wildcats went through an eight-minute scoring drought. An immediate driving layup from Mukai to start the quarter gave the Pioneers the momentum they needed. Off the bench, Laurel Marchant and Ishara Sorensen combined for eight points, with Sorensen shooting 100 percent from the free-throw line. With a team contribution on both ends of the ball, the Pioneers went into the halftime break up by one point, with the score at 36-35.

The contest stayed tight as both teams returned from the break, with the largest lead during the third quarter being just four points (39-43). Richards, Carroll and Sorensen combined for 11 points with Richards hitting two three-pointers after not scoring at all in the second quarter. Jessica Cerne hit a key three-pointer alongside a pull-up jumper from Mukai that gave the Pioneers a three-point advantage at the end of the third.

Heading into the fourth, neither team scored until 3:30 seconds into play. The Wildcats' Janessa Yniguez, who ended the night with a team-high 16 points, hit a three-pointer to break the drought. The Pioneers and the Wildcats traded the lead multiple times, with neither team allowing the other to get a comfortable lead. With the game tied at 60-60 with 50 seconds left on the clock, Richards scrambled and hit a key jumper to give the Pioneers a two-point advantage. The Wildcats tried to respond but had to resort to fouling Richards with 13 seconds left on the clock. Richards sank their two free throws to give the Pioneers a four-point advantage. Yniguez tried a hopeful three at the end of regulation, but missed the basket, sealing the win for the Pioneers.

Deeper Look

• Mukai set career-highs across multiple stat categories 
• This is Richards' 13th game this season scoring in double digits
• Sorensen's eight points is a career-high
• The Pioneers scored 19 points off turnovers to Linfield's eight

Looking Ahead

The Pioneers hit the road to take on the Pacific Lutheran Lutes tomorrow night. Tipoff is at 4 p.m.