March 6, 2008
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Forward JoJay Jackson hit a trio of 3-pointers early in the second half to help Seattle Pacific University take control of a tight game and go on to defeat Western Washington University, 74-66, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball game Thursday on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
The Vikings slipped to 14-12 overall and 7-10 in the GNAC. Guard Derrick Webb (Jr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap) came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points for Western, hitting 6-of-8 shots from the field.
Seattle Pacific, the defending GNAC co-champion, improved to 20-6 overall and 12-5 in conference play with its fourth consecutive triumph.
The Falcons used a 9-2 run late in the first half to take a 29-24 lead at halftime, but Western opened the second half with a 3-pointer from guard Ira Graham (Jr., Fontana, CA) and a short jumper by center Steve Severin (So., Richland/Hanford) to tie the game at 29-29 with 18:23 left.
Seattle Pacific then went on a decisive run, outscoring the Vikings 11-2 in a 2:17 span. Jackson was 3-of-3 on treys in the charge, his third coming from the right corner to give the Falcons a 40-31 lead with 15:54 to go.
Seattle Pacific led by as much as 16, but Western made a late charge. The Vikings pulled to within five, 66-61, on two Andrew Ready (Jr., Chicago, IL/Westinghouse) free throws with 38 seconds left, but got no closer.
Western had a 44-32 advantage in rebounds, with forward Calin Schell (Jr., Chelan) grabbing a game-high nine, but the Vikings shot just 37.9 percent (25-of-66) from the field. Seattle Pacific shot 50.0 percent (27-of-54), including 60.0 percent (15-of-25) in the second half.
Ready had 14 points for Western, and Graham added 10. Center Rob Will had 13 points for Seattle Pacific, guard Marques Echols had 11, and guard Brandon Larrieu added 10.
The defeat was Western's sixth straight loss to Seattle Pacific.
Western ends its season Saturday (7 p.m.), entertaining Northwest Nazarene University in a GNAC counter.
