SALEM, Ore. – The Macalester College men's basketball team opened the 2015-16 season with a 78-69 loss at Willamette University Friday night at Cone Field House. Senior guard Dylan Kilgour (La Crescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley) poured in 27 points to lead the Scots, who were 6-19 a year ago.

The Bearcats took control of a close game with a 12-3 run midway through the first half for a 24-13 lead. The advantage grew to as many as 14 points before a three-pointer by Kilgour before halftime made the score 43-32 Willamette at the break. In the second half, the Scots pulled to within seven points four times, and a three-pointer by senior guard Kyle Bernhard (Sleepy Hollow, Ill./Dundee-Crown) made the score 66-59 with 5:41 remaining. But the Bearcats' Brandon Luedtke scored the next six points, as Willamette held off Macalester down the stretch to clinch the win.

Kilgour hit 3-of-6 from three-point range and was a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line en route to 27 points. Junior center Kareem Ismail (Pasadena, Calif./Flintridge Prep) added 17 points and a team-best seven rebounds, while first year forward Wyatt Ferm (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) tallied nine points and six rebounds in his college debut. Luedtke led all players with 28 points, 16 rebounds and four steals to pace Willamette.


Macalester wraps up its Oregon trip with a game at Pacific University on Saturday, Nov. 14. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Central in Forest Grove, Ore.