La Verne 98, at Willamette 109

SALEM, Ore. (Interstat) — In a high-octane season opener that required an extra period to decide a winner, the Willamette Bearcats outlasted the La Verne Leopards 109-98 in a men’s NCAA Division III basketball game Friday night at Cone Field House. A crowd of 276 watched as the Bearcats erased a 15-point halftime deficit with a dominant second-half performance before seizing control in overtime to secure the victory. La Verne came out firing, building a 53-38 lead by halftime behind an efficient offensive attack. The Leopards maintained their advantage for much of the second half, but Willamette mounted a relentless… Read more...