Dec. 2, 2006

Lutes Improve to 4-0 With 90-84 Win Over Willamette

Game Statistics

Courtesy of Michelle Severson

Jared Brandeberry (31) scores against Willamette while Landon Heidenreich (15) looks on.

TACOMA, Wash. – Pacific Lutheran improved to 4-0 this season – the first time that a PLU men’s basketball team has started with four straight wins since the 1990-91 season – with a 90-84 Northwest Conference victory over the visiting Willamette Bearcats on Saturday night in Olson Auditorium.

The Lutes, now 2-0 in conference action, used a balanced scoring attack to defeat the Bearcats, who fall to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

After a first half that saw eight leads changes and seven ties, the Lutes went into the halftime intermission with a 44-40 lead. At that point, junior forward Jared Brandeberry had scored 10 points despite playing only nine minutes because of foul trouble.

Once the second half started, the Cashmere native combined forces with junior point guard Landon Heidenreich to help the Lutes build a nine-point lead on several occasions, the latest coming with 5:02 remaining when Brandeberry buried his second straight three-point basket to put PLU ahead, 75-66.

Willamette pulled within two points, 77-75, on a pair of foul shots by Kyler McClary with 2:23 left. The Lutes responded with an 8-2 run, including five points by Heidenreich and a pair of Brandeberry free throws, to take an 85-77 advantage with 56 seconds to play in the game. The Lutes hit five of their remaining six free throws to close out the Bearcats.

Brandeberry led the Lutes with 25 points while also notching five rebounds and three assists, including a crowd-pleasing no-look pass leading to a Heidenreich layup with just under four minutes to play. Heidenreich played all 40 minutes for the Lutes, scoring 17 points and chipping in with seven rebounds and seven assists. Scott McDaniels came off the bench for 13 points and seven rebounds, while Josh Vanlandingham had 16 points and Josh Dressler 10 in starting roles.

For the Bearcats, Dan Nugent and Michael Smith tied for high-point honors with 19 apiece. Both used their quickness to get to the basket for easy shots as attested by their shooting percentages – Nugent was 9-of-12 and Smith was 8-of-11. Ian Mansfield had 12 points and nine rebounds, tying Nugent for game-high honors in that category. Simon Currie added 10 points off the bench for Willamette.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action next Thursday, taking on Portland State in a non-conference game in Portland.

- PLU -