Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Senior point guard Taylor Peacocke completed Western Washington's preseason with a game-high 24 points to lead the Vikings to a 91-75 victory over the University of Puget Sound in exhibition play Saturday afternoon at Whatcom Pavilion.

WWU finished the preseason a perfect 3-0 with wins over Trinity Western (84056), Quest University (105-50) and UPS heading into next week's season opening West Region Challenge in Seattle vs. Humboldt State and Fresno Pacific.

The Vikings used a late second-half surge to take a 47-44 lead into halftime, and then used a strong second half out-scoring the Loggers 44-31 to pull away with the convincing 16-point victory.

Peacocke (Kenmore, WA/Inglemoor/Sacramento State) led four Vikings in double-figures, shooting 8-for-16 from the field, with 4-for-6 accuracy from three-point range. In the three preseason games the senior averaged 22.3 points per game, while shooting 56.8% from the field (25-for-44) and 12-for-16 (.750) from three-point range.

Freshman Lexie Bland (Ellensburg, WA) added 15 points off the bench with a trio of three-pointers. Junior transfer Hannah Stipanovich (St. Louis, MO/Metro State) recorded 14 points and 5 rebounds and senior forward Kiana Gandy (Des Moines, WA/Mount Rainier) tallied 11 points.

The Loggers were led by 23 points from sophomore guard Elizabeth Prewitt (10-for-18 shooting) and 12 points from junior forward Claire Fitzgerald (6-for-11 shooting).

Overall WWU shot 54.1% from the field (33-for-61), while UPS was at 44.9% (31-for-69) for the game. UPS held an 8-point lead early in the first quarter at 15-7, while WWU's biggest lead was a 24-point margin late in the 4th quarter

The Vikings officially open the 2016-17 season officially November 11-12 with the West Region Challenge hosted by Seattle Pacific University. WWU will face Humboldt State (11/11, 1 pm) and Fresno Pacific (11/12, 1 pm) in the tournament. The first home games will be November 18-19 for the West Region Crossover Classic with the Vikings taking on Azusa Pacific and UC San Diego.

WWU was selected to finish first in the 2016-17 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll claiming 112 points and 6 of the 11 first-place votes.

-- @WWUWBB--