Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. - Center Kayla Bernsen (Jr., Moses Lake) and forward Sydney Donaldson (Sr., Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway) each scored 18 points as Western Washington University defeated Montana State University Billings, 82-71, on Thursday, Jan. 29, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball contest at Alterowitz Gymnasium on the MSUB campus.

Taylor Peacocke (So.,Kenmore/Inglemoor) had 15 points and Jenni White (Sr., Spokane/East Valley) contributed 13 for the Vikings, who improved to 13-6 overall and 7-3 in the GNAC with their seventh win in eight games.

MSUB, which fell to 11-9 overall and 3-7 in GNAC action with its sixth loss in eight games, was led by the game-high 30 points of Alisha Breen, 18 of them in the second half. Kayleen Goggins added 26 points, 16 in the final period, for the Yellowjackets, who had no other player with more than five.

WWU never trailed in the game, but the score was tied at 37-37 with 17:10 left in the second half. The Vikings then scored 15 straight points for a 52-27 lead with 12:43 to go.

MSUB closed to within five, 76-71, with 37 seconds remaining, before the Vikings made six straight free throws for the final score.

WWU shot 56.7 percent (17-of-30) from the floor in the final period and finished at 48.3 percent (29-of-60) for the game with Bernsen connecting on 9-of-11. The Vikings entered the game as the top field-goal shooting team in NCAA Division II at 48.9 percent.

WWU also made 20-of-21 free throws (95.2 percent) with Peacocke and Donaldson each perfect on six tries. Peacocke ranks seventh nationally at the line at 91.5 percent (65-71).

WWU completes a string of four road games on Saturday, Jan. 31 (7 p.m.), with a GNAC contest at Seattle Pacific.