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SALEM, Ore. — The Whitman College women’s basketball team used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away from Willamette University to earn a 69–60 win over the Bearcats in Northwest Conference action on Friday night at Cone Field House.
Emma Lena Baker powered the Blues (12-6, 7-2 NWC) with game highs of 17 points and eight rebounds, anchoring a frontcourt that helped Whitman control the paint and the glass. She went 6-for-11 from the field and 5-for-8 at the line, scoring in every quarter and repeatedly finishing through contact around the rim.
Whitman led 36–32 at halftime, but the game turned into a grind after the break as Willamette surged in the third quarter to briefly grab a five-point lead at 43–38. The Blues answered with a 5–0 spurt capped by an Avery Neal transition three that tied it at 43–43, then carried a 49–48 edge into the fourth. From there, Whitman outscored the Bearcats 20–12 in the final period and built its largest lead of 13 with 2:42 remaining.
Holly Morgan caught fire late, scoring 11 of her 15 points after halftime and drilling back-to-back threes early in the fourth that pushed the margin to double digits at 58–48. Morgan finished 5-for-10 from the floor and added six rebounds, three assists and three steals while also recording two blocks on the defensive end. Baker then sealed the win by scoring seven points in the final frame, including a key layup and four free throws in the closing minutes.
Whitman’s balance showed throughout the box score. Neal chipped in 11 points and four rebounds, hitting three triples and spearheading the perimeter defense, while point guard Morgan Montgomery added nine points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in a team-high 36 minutes. The Blues shot 48.1 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from three, and outscored Willamette 30–26 in the paint and 11–6 in second-chance points.
On the other side, Willamette’s Kaitlin Imai led the Bearcats with 12 points, while Riley Walden and Addie Hiler each added nine. Willamette shot 38.6 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from deep, but could not match Whitman’s efficiency down the stretch, going just 4-for-15 in the fourth quarter.
The Blues close out the trip on Saturday at Pacific. Tipoff is set for 3:00 p.m.
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