Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Western Washington University center Mac Johnson (Jr., Spokane/Gonzaga Prep) had a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds as the Vikings defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 72-66, in final-day men's basketball action on Friday, Dec. 19, at the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic held at the South Point Arena.

The road victory was the first this season for the Vikings, who improved to 7-4. They were led by guard Jaamon Echols (Jr., Seattle/Rainier Beach) with 18 points on 5-of-8 field-goal shooting. Ricardo Maxwell (Jr. Cincinnati, OH/Withrow), still recovering from a knee injury, came off the bench with 15 points and six rebounds, and forward Anye Turner (Sr., Tumwater/Black Hills) had 10 points and blocked four shots.

CSUSB, which fell to 2-5, got a game-high 25 points from guard Jacob Thomas, 17 in the second half.

WWU took the lead for good at 11-9 on a fast-break layup by Echols just over five minutes into the game. The Vikings' biggest lead of the period was six and they led 28-24 at halftime.

A dunk by Johnson put WWU up by 10, 49-39, with 11:26 remaining. That was its only double-figure lead of the game.

CSUSB narrowed the margin to three, 56-53, with 6:21 left and was still within four, 70-66, with 1:02 to go. Two free throws by Maxwell with 16 seconds remaining sealed the victory.

Echols had 14 of his points in the second half and Maxwell 10.

The Vikings, who entered the game shooting 62.2 percent at the free throw line, were 19-of-22 (86.4 percent). Echols converted 7-of-8, Johnson 5-of-6 and Maxwell 5-of-5.

WWU takes a break for the Christmas holidays before returning to action with a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest at University of Alaska Fairbanks on New Year's Day (7:30 p.m. AT).