Box Score

LACEY, Wash. - The No. 2 seed Western Washington Vikings were eliminated from the GNAC Tournament with a 78-60 loss vs. No. 3 seed Montana State Billings Friday evening in the semifinal game at Marcus Pavilion.

The Vikings (20-9) were eliminated from the conference tournament and will learn the fate of their postseason hopes Sunday night when the NCAA Division II Field of 64 is announced. MSUB improved to 21-9 overall while winning all three games vs. the Vikings this season. They will play either Alaska Anchorage or Simon Fraser in tomorrow night's conference championship in Lacey at 7:30 pm.

Junior guard Taylor Peacocke (Kenmore, WA/Inglemoor/Sacramento State) led the Vikings with 17 points, including 3-for-7 from three-point range. Junior forward Kiana Gandy (Des Moines, WA/Mount Rainier) added 16 points and senior center Kayla Bernsen (Moses Lake, WA) recorded 8 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

WWU was held to 37.5 percent shooting (21-for-56), including a 29.2% mark in the first half (7-for-24). WWU entered the game ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division II with a 47.5% field goal percentage.

MSUB was led by a double-double from first-team All-GNAC selection Alisha Breen (23 points, 10 rebounds). Rylee Kane (11 points), Monica Grimsrud (11 points) and Janiel Olson (10 points, 9 rebounds) rounded out the Yellowjackets reaching double figures.

The Vikings jumped out to the early lead scoring the first seven points of the game, but the Yellowjackets battled back with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 9-9. The quarter ended 16-16 with Briggs (4 points) and Hathaway (3 points) leading a balanced attack that seven players reach the scoring column.

MSUB pulled away scoring the first 12 points of the 2nd quarter and went into halftime with a 33-23 advantage and never trailed again. Peacocke ended WWU's scoring draught with a three-pointer to end the Yellowjackets 12-0 run and led the Vikings with 5 points in the quarter. Billings shot 40.6% in the first half (13-for-32) compared to a 29.2% mark from Western (7-for-24).

The Yellowjackets continued to pull away with strong 3rd quarter out-scoring the Vikings 18-11. A high-paced 4th quarter conclude the game with MSUB out-scoring the Vikings 27-26. Kandy and Peacocke each scored 8 points in the final quarter.

Game Note: Kayla Bernsen tied the WWU career games played record appearing in her 122nd game and also became the fourth player in GNAC history to record at least 1,000 points, 650 rebounds and 200 blocked shots.