Jan. 2, 2016 Box Score
MONMOUTH, Ore. â€" Redshirt freshman guard Alyssa Evans hit a go-ahead three pointer with 23 seconds remaining to lift the Western Washington Vikings to a come-from-behind 61-59 victory over Western Oregon Saturday evening in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Basketball game.
The Vikings won for the seventh time in their last eight games to improve to 8-4 overall and remained atop the conference standings with a perfect 4-0 record in GNAC play. WWU is 4-0 to open the conference season for the first time since opening the 2012-13 season with a 10-0 conference record. Western Oregon falls to 2-10 overall and 1-3 in GNAC play.
Western trailed by as many as 14 points late in the second quarter, and were down by 11 points at 50-39 with 7:30 remaining in the game. Evans (Mount Vernon, WA) hit the first of her three 3-pointerts in the fourth quarter to start a 12-0 run that would give the Vikings a 51-50 lead with 4:44 remaining.
The Wolves pulled ahead 57-53 with 1:43 remaining, but Evans again came up with a key 3-pointer to cut the lead to 57-56. A pair of three throws by Michelle Bromagem gave WOU a 59-58 lead, and after each team had a scoreless possession, Evans hit the eventual game-winner with 23-seconds remaining.
"Alyssa came in with confidence and wanted the ball. She hit two huge shots," said 25th year head coach Carmen Dolfo. "I am proud of our team and the way we fought back and wouldn't quit. Western Oregon played very well and are a good team."
Junior forward Tia Briggs (Tacoma, WA/Wilson) scored a career-high 21 points, going 9-for-13 from the field. Junior guard Taylor Peacocke (Kenmore, WA/Inglemoor/Sacramento State) added 14 points and Evans finished with a career-high 12 points, shooting 3-for-5 from 3-point range. Junior forward Kiana Gandy (Des Moines, WA/Mount Rainier) recorded a career-high 8 assists.
The Wolves were led by 12 points by Emily Howey and 10 points by Sydney Azorr.
The Vikings (8-4), who have played only two home games so far this season, return home to host Northwest Nazarene (Thursday, Jan. 7, KPUG 1170 AM) and Central Washington (Saturday, Jan. 9, KBAI 930 AM). Both games start at 7 pm at Whatcom Pavilion.
