Dec. 1, 2011
Box Score
BILLINGS, Mont. - Guard Rico Wilkins (Jr., Dallas, TX) came off the bench to score 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, lifting Western Washington University to an 81-70 victory over Montana State University Billings on Thursday at Alterowitz Gymnasium. It was the Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener for both schools.
The Vikings, who trailed 34-31 at halftime, improved to 8-1 with their sixth straight win. They also got 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists from guard Richard Woodworth (So., Bellevue/Newport).
MSUB fell to 4-3, suffering its first home loss in four games this season. The Yellowjackets were led by the 17 points of NCAA Division I transfer forward Antoine Proctor, who was 5-of-20 from the field.
Taylor Stevens scored 16 points for MSUB and Jaxon Myaer had 11 points and nine assists.
WWU outscored the Yellowjackets, 20-5, over the first 7:27 of the second half to take a 12-point lead, 51-39. Wilkins scored eight points during that run and Zach Henifin (Sr., Bellingham) seven.
MSUB got back to within five, 54-49, with 8:37 remaining. But the Vikings scored eight straight points, the first five by John Allen (Jr., Brier/Mountlake Terrace), for a 13-point lead, 62-49, with 6:59 to go. The Yellowjackets never got closer that six after that.
In all, five WWU players scored double-figure points. Forward Rory Blanche (Sr., Ashland, OR) finished with 14, Allen had 11 and Henifin 10.
The Vikings held MSUB to 33.8 percent (25-of-74) field-goal shooting and 8-of-28 (28.6 percent) three-point accuracy. They also had a 50-41 advantage in rebounds.
WWU is at Seattle Pacific University (6-1), ranked No.19 in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches/NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll, on Saturday (7 p.m.) for a GNAC contest.
