Box Score | Game Book

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Deandre Dickson scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds to lead four Vikings in double figures scoring as 20th-ranked Western Washington University overcame a hot start from Western Oregon to claim a come-from-behind 84-76 win in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on Saturday night at New PE Building.

The Vikings (13-3, 7-1 GNAC) remain atop the conference standings while the Wolves fell to 8-8 overall and 5-3 in conference action. The win was the 100th career victory for head coach Tony Dominguez, who became the fastest coach in WWU men's basketball history to reach 100 wins, doing so in 140 games (100-40).

WOU jumped to a 15-1 lead to open the game, hitting its first 6 shots from the field and forcing 3 WWU turnovers in the opening minutes. But the Vikings were able to weather the storm and close the gap to 18-12 with 13:39 to play in the opening half.

WWU cut the WOU advantage to 3 points at one point during the first half, but the Wolves led throughout the half and took a 41-35 advantage to halftime.

For the second game in a row, a strong second half helped propel WWU as the Vikings opened the half with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 43-43 on a 3-pointer from redshirt freshman forward Daulton Hommes (Lynden, WA/Lynden Christian) with 18:07 to play. A back-and-forth exchange ensued from that point as neither team was able to extend a lead beyond 4 points until just under 6 minutes to go in the contest.

Dickson (Jr., F, Easton, CA/Bakersfield College) was fouled and converted a layup before adding the free throw for a 71-66 lead with 5:40 to go for the first lead of more than 4 points by either team since WWU had tied the game early in the half. The Wolves worked the WWU lead down to 74-71 with 3:07 to play, but four consecutive made free throws from the Vikings extended the lead to 78-71 and WOU was unable to come any closer than 78-73 as layups on consecutive possessions from Hommes and senior guard Taylor Stafford (Chicago, IL/Evansville) opened an 82-73 lead with 1:26 left on the clock.

Dickson scored his 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field and made 5-of-6 free throws. Stafford added 23 points while Hommes scored 13 points and junior guard Blake Fernandez (Mountlake Terrace, WA/Edmonds CC) contributed 10 points.

The Vikings finished the game 27-of-51 (52.9%) from the field, making 7-of-20 attempts (35.0%) from 3-point range. WWU was 23-of-30 (76.7%) at the free throw line.

Tanner Omlid led WOU with 19 points and 12 rebounds while Ali Faruq-Bey (17 points) and Demetrius Trammell (12 points) also helped pace the offense.

WWU returns home to host Northwest Nazarene (Jan. 19, 7 pm) and Central Washington (Jan. 21, 7 pm) at Whatcom Pavilion next week.

Quickest to 100 Wins in WWU Men's Basketball History:

Tony Dominguez.............................. 140 Games (100-40)

Sam Carver...................................... 145 Games

Brad Jackson.................................... 147 Games

Chuck Randall.................................. 151 Games