Jan. 8, 2011

Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Center Lauren Hefflin (Sr., Ridgefield) and forward Kristin Schramm (Jr., Chelan) each had 16 points to lead six Vikings in double figures as the nationally ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team pulled away in the second half to defeat Western Oregon University, 83-67, in a battle for first place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference on Saturday afternoon at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.

The Vikings, ranked No.13 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN/NCAA Division II Top 25, improved to 12-1 overall with their seventh straight win and took sole possession of first place in the GNAC at 5-0.

Western Oregon fell to 6-7 overall and 4-1 in conference play. Center Rylee Peterson had game-highs of 19 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves.

The score was tied at 43-43 a minute into the second half, but keyed by the use of a zone defense, WWU went on an 11-2 run to take a 54-45 lead with 16:26 to play and led the rest of the way.

Western Oregon briefly narrowed the gap to five, 54-49, but the Vikings then broke the game open with a 14-4 charge that gave them a 68-53 lead with 8:33 to play.

Guard Amanda Dunbar (Sr., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck) had 11 points and eight assists for WWU, making her the top scoring guard in school history. Dunbar has 1,413 career points, moving past Lori deKubber (1981-85) into sixth place in school history.

Guard Megan Pinske (Sr., Coquitlam, BC/Port Moody) had 14 points for the Vikings, and forward Gabby Wade (Sr., Lacey/River Ridge) and center Britt Harris (So., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck) each added 10. The Vikings had a 41-25 advantage in rebounds, Schramm grabbing a team-high seven, and were 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) on 3-pointers.

Guard Sara Zahler had 14 points for the Wolves, and guard Lorrie Clifford added 13 points and five assists. Clifford was 3-of-4 on 3-pointers despite entering the game just 1-of-9 for the season, and Jamie Richardson had seven steals.

It was the 410th career win for Western coach Carmen Dolfo (20th year), who is just one shy of tying Lynda Goodrich for most victories in school history.

The Vikings travel to Simon Fraser University on Saturday (5:15 p.m.) for a GNAC counter.

Vikings move into first place in GNAC with win over Western Oregon

MICHELLE NOLAN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

On a day when Western Washington University's women joyfully signed dozens of postgame autographs for inspired kids, the Vikings had already turned in a signature defensive effort.

And in a game in which Amanda Dunbar became the highest scoring guard in Western history, breaking a 26-year-old career record, the senior seemed to have even more fun using outstanding passes to finish off Western Oregon's upset hopes.

Although there was nothing wrong with Western's offense, it was the 13th-ranked Vikings' defense that produced their 83-67 victory in a matchup of GNAC co-leaders on Saturday, Jan. 8, at Carver Gym.

"This was our fourth game (since New Year's Day) and our players showed a lot of heart (on defense in the second half)," said Carmen Dolfo, whose Vikings (12-1, 5-0 GNAC) moved their coach within one victory of matching WWU athletics director Lynda Goodrich's school women's record of 411 wins.

"Coach told us we needed to adjust and come out with more fire and desire in the second half," said Dunbar, who had eight assists and 11 points, giving the three-time team scoring leader 1,413 points. "That's what we did. But we need to work harder on our defense, so we can hold teams under 50 points per game."

Dolfo's second-half defensive tactics proved exactly what Western needed after the shorter but quick and aggressive Wolves (6-7, 4-1) used eight women 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-11 to attack the basket in the first half.

The Wolves trailed only 41-39 at halftime against Western, which came in ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense at 51.4 points per game - the school's stingiest performance since 3-point shooting began in the 1987-88 season and its best defense pace in 27 years overall.

"Going to a zone in the second half really helped us," Dolfo said. "Their No. 15 (5-11 junior Riley Peterson) was hurting us curling to the basket."

Peterson had a game-high 19 points, but only three came in the second half as the Vikings' zone limited her to 1 for 3 shooting from the field. The Wolves made four of their first six 3-point attempts, but Dolfo figured that couldn't last, even against a zone. She was right - Western Oregon made 1 of its final 14 3-point tries, with zero for 8 in the second half.

Western outscored the Wolves 36-16 in the first 16 minutes of the second half, allowing one point per minute over that stretch to take their largest lead at 77-55. That's what Dunbar was talking about when she mentioned the team's defensive potential.

This, however, was also a night for offense as the Vikings shot 30 for 57 (52.6 percent) behind Gabby Wade (5 for 7) and reserves Kristin Schramm (6 for 8) and Britt Harris (4 for 6). Senior center Lauren Hefflin and junior forward Schramm led Western with 16 points apiece, followed by senior guard Megan Pinske (14), Dunbar (11) and Wade and Harris (10 each).

Sophomore forward Erika Ramstead contributed six much-needed first-half points to help the Vikings rally from a 23-13 deficit. Ramstead's 3-pointer from the top of the key put Western ahead 28-26 and the Vikings never trailed again.

Dunbar, Western's career record holder for 3-point makes with 226, said she gets just as big a kick out of assists. Her teammates do, too - 21 of Western's 30 baskets were assisted Saturday.

"Assists are probably even more fun, because two people are involved," said Dunbar, who moved into the No. 6 overall spot in Western scoring history with 1,413 points. The record for guards had been held by Lori deKubber with 1,408 from 1981-85.

"Amanda (who came in averaging 3.6 assists) had 10 assists against Central (in Western's win five days earlier)," said Dolfo. "She's really passing well. It's opening things up for her to make such great passes."

Schramm, a 5-9 "super sub" who draws huge cheers for the no-holds-barred way she drives to the hoop, came in leading Western in points per minute, averaging 17.6 minutes and 9.3 points per game.

"I really like coming in off the bench," said Schramm, who led the team with three steals against the Wolves and noted how Dolfo has taught her how to use her quickness to the hoop. "I like being able to watch the first few minutes from the bench. I think that really helps me."

Ramstead, a 6-foot sophomore who was also all-county in softball and volleyball at Nooksack Valley, is gratified to realize she picked the right sport.

"It really feels good to be contributing to such a good team," Ramstead said.

"The players really like each other and they don't care who scores," said Dolfo, whose next three games are on the road, beginning Saturday, Jan. 15, at Simon Fraser. "There's no team drama and they want what's best for each other."

In the second half, Western shot 14 for 27 while holding the Wolves to 11 for 28. The Vikings enjoyed a 23-10 rebounding advantage over the same span. All in all, a night to make autographs especially fun.