SALEM, Ore. — Jaylo Bello set a Walla Walla Women's Basketball single-game record with 34 points in a comeback victory against NCAA Division III opponent Willamette on Sunday.
Bello scored 34 points on 12-of-22 shooting with three 3-pointers and a 7-of-13 performance from the free throw line. The performance broke a record that stood for over 15 years by Sierra King who had 33 points against Northwest Indian College in 2011. The records are set from when the Wolves joined the NAIA in 2009.
The win evened the WWU record to 2-2 going into the Thanksgiving break. The Bearcats dropped to 1-3 on the year.
Willamette jumped out to a 10-0 lead and extended the advantage to as much as 18 points in the third quarter. The Wolves cut the lead to 11 by the end of the third quarter and outscored the home team 26-9 in the final 10 minutes to complete the comeback victory.
Alongside Bello's 34-point performance, freshman Brooklyn Coe had 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting. The 59 points is the most by a pair of WWU teammates since the program joined the NAIA. Ally Haslam had nine rebounds to lead the Wolves and also added nine points.
Emma Ford led the Bearcats with 14 points with four 3s. Riley Walden had 10 points, Daisy Boling-Schmidt had six rebounds and Peyton Gardner led Willamette with five assists.
Walla Walla shot 26-of-48 (54.2%) from the floor and hit four of its nine 3-pointers in the final quarter. The Wolves were also 10-of-13 from the free throw line in the final 10 minutes.
The rebounding battle went in favor of WWU 36-27 and the Wolves are now 2-0 when they top their opponent in that category.
Willamette led 70-65 with 5:06 to go in the game on a layup by Walden. Neither team scored for the next two minutes before Haslam connected from beyond the arc. Bello hit 1-of-2 free throws to cut the lead to one and 32 seconds later Coe went to the line and made both to give the Wolves their first lead in the game with 1:06 remaining.
Haslam cleaned up a defensive rebound off a missed 3-point attempt by Gabby Wilson and Coe scored on the ensuing possession for WWU. Gardner cut the lead back to one with a pair of free throws, but Bello answered right back with two free throws of her own. Coe made three more shots from the line as the Wolves' defense held the Bearcats in check the rest of the game.
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Walla Walla will enjoy the Thanksgiving break before it opens Cascade Conference play in Caldwell, Idaho against The College of Idaho on Dec. 5.
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