Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Guard Katie Colard (Sr., McCleary/Elma) scored a game-high 23 points, hitting seven 3-point shots, as the Western Washington University women's basketball team upset nationally No.6-ranked University of Tampa, 85-56, in first-day action Friday, Nov. 28, at the 18th Annual Lynda Goodrich Classic being played at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.

The Vikings improved to 4-2 overall with their third consecutive victory. Taylor Peacocke (So., Kenmore/Inglemoor) added 15 points for WWU.

Tampa suffered its first loss of the season in falling to 4-1. Aisha Rodney led the Spartans with 14 points and Taylor McVey added 11.

"That was our best game of the season," said WWU head coach Carmen Dolfo (24th year, 498-185). "They really played well together."

The Vikings hit five of their first six shots from the field and jumped to a 15-4 lead in the first 4:30. They extended the margin to as much as 21 points before Tampa used an 11-1 charge to pull within 11, 36-25, with 2:36 left in the half. WWU, which hit 8-of-12 3-point attempts (66.7 percent) in the opening period, held a 43-25 lead at halftime.

The Vikings then used a burst of seven straight points to open up a 50-27 advantage 2:39 into the second half, and the margin was never less than 16 after that.

WWU shot 52.6 percent (30-of-57) from the field, including 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) on 3-pointers. Colard was 7-of-9 on treys, one make shy of the school record, and also added a game-high seven rebounds as the Vikings had a 36-22 advantage on the boards.

It was the 13th straight victory in the Goodrich Classic for the Vikings, who have won 32-of-35 games all-time in the tourney, tying or winning 15 of the previous 17 titles.

WWU closes out the tourney against Northwest University on Saturday, Nov. 29 (7:30 p.m.).