Feb. 5, 2011
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Guard Zach Henifin (Jr., Bellingham) scored a team-high 21 points, hitting a shot to force overtime and a go-ahead 3-pointer in the extra period to lead Western Washington University to a 92-86 victory over Saint Martin's University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball game Saturday at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.
The Vikings improved to 13-7 overall and 8-4 in the GNAC, remaining undefeated in 10 games at Carver Gym this season.
Saint Martin's fell to 11-12 overall and 4-9 in GNAC play with its fifth straight loss, and its second overtime defeat in three days. Center Blake Poole had game-highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Saints, his 49th career double-double.
The Saints held an 80-76 lead in the dying seconds, but Western forced overtime. Chris Mitchell (So., Everson/Nooksack Valley) missed a 10-footer from the right side, but the rebound came off the far side to Henifin, who with one motion grabbed it and hit from eight feet with 2.5 seconds left.
Western held an 86-82 advantage early in the extra period after 3-pointers by guard John Allen (So., Brier/Mountlake Terrace) and Mitchell. Baskets by Poole and Galen Squires tied the score with 1:25 left, but yet another 3-pointer, this one by Henifin with 1:01 to go, put Western in front for good.
It was the Vikings' Athletics Hall of Fame game with the four newest inductees - tennis ace Steve Chronister, administrator/coach Ray Ciszek, softball standout Cathy Johnson Evans and basketball star Rob Visser - honored at halftime.
Forward Rory Blanche (Jr., Ashland, OR) had 17 points and six rebounds on 8-of-10 field goal shooting for Western. Forward Michael Duty (Sr., Seattle/O'Dea) had 15 points, center Dan Young (Jr., Federal Way/Lakewood) added 12 and Allen had 11 points and eight assists.
The Vikings shot 52.3 percent (34-of-65) from the field and had a 34-30 edge in rebounds.
Forward Jeremy Green had 16 points for Saint Martin's. Squires added 15 points, and forward Roger O'Neill had 12.
Saint Martin's scored the first seven points of the game and led by as much as 10 in the first half. Saint Martin's held a 42-38 lead at halftime, and save for Western taking a 60-55 lead midway through the period at the end of a 9-0 run, neither team led by more than four at any point in the second half.
The Vikings travel to University of Alaska Anchorage on Thursday (7:30 p.m.) for a GNAC counter.
