Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Guard Katie Colard (Sr., McCleary/Elma) hit her first five shots from the field on the way to a team-high 18 points, and tied a school record for consecutive free throws made, lifting Western Washington University to a 100-51 victory over Montana State University Billings on Saturday, Jan. 3, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball contest at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.

The Vikings, who reached the century mark for the first time since early in the 2011-12 season, improved to 7-5 overall and 1-2 in the GNAC. WWU was the preseason pick to win the conference championship in the GNAC Preseason Coaches' Poll and has won the last two conference post-season titles.

MSUB, the defending GNAC regular-season champion, fell to 9-5 overall and 1-2 in the GNAC despite game-highs of 23 points and 12 rebounds from center Kayleen Goggins.

The Vikings took control quickly, hitting five of their first seven shots from the field in jumping to a 13-3 lead after four minutes. They continued the surge throughout the half and led 47-26 at halftime.

WWU held the Yellowjackets to just 16.1 percent field-goal shooting (5-of-31) in the second half, and led by at least 30 points for the final 13 minutes.

WWU, which ranks third nationally in free throw percentage (80.1) and ninth in field goal percentage (47.3), shot 60.3 percent (38-of-63) from the field, including 75.0 percent (9-of-12) on 3-pointers, and hit 83.3 percent (15-of-18) on free throws.

Colard, who surpassed the 1,000 milestone in points on Thursday, hit three 3-pointers and a pair of 2-pointers to get the Vikings off to a quick start, finished 6-of-8 from the field, hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers. She also made two free throws, extending a string of consecutive successes that began last season to 27, tying a school record also held by Erica Porter and Corinn Waltrip.

Six Vikings scored in double figures. Guard Jenni White (Sr., Spokane/East Valley) had 15 points, Kayla Bernsen (Jr., Moses Lake) added 13, Taylor Peacocke (So., Kenmoor/Inglemoor) and Marcel Pounds (Sr., Bonney Lake) each had 12, and Kiana Gandy (Jr., Des Moines/Mount Rainier) scored 11.

WWU travels to Central Washington University on Thursday, Jan. 8 (7 p.m.), for a GNAC contest.