Jan. 21, 2017 Box Score | Photo Gallery 
| Game Book 
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Senior guard Taylor Peacocke scored the final 8 points of the game for Western Washington University, including a four-point play for a two-point lead with just under a minute and a half left in the game, as the No. 17 Vikings held off visiting Montana State University Billings for a 63-59 victory on Saturday afternoon at Whatcom Pavilion.
WWU (15-3, 9-1 GNAC) extended its win streak to 9 consecutive games, remaining in second place in the GNAC standings. The Vikings scored the final 6 points of the game to claim the win after MSU Billings (6-12, 3-7 GNAC) had overcome a large deficit and held a lead late in the fourth quarter.
The Yellowjackets broke the fifth tie of the game with a jumper from Tiana Hanson for a 59-57 lead with 1:51 to play in the final period before the four-point play from Peacocke (Kenmore, WA/Inglemoor). The senior guard, who finished with a game-high 27 points, hit a 3-pointer from the right wing and fell backward into the WWU bench as she was fouled before adding a free throw to give WWU the 61-59 lead with 1:26 remaining.
A missed shot and turnover on WWU possessions over the final minute gave MSU Billings three opportunities to tie or take the lead down the stretch before Peacocke bolstered the lead by hitting a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left. However, the three chances for the Yellowjackets resulted in a turnover followed by a pair of missed shots, with the second missed shot coming on a jumper attempt with 12 seconds left. Peacocke corralled the rebound and was fouled before making the free throws to help secure the win.
"Hitting that shot was huge," head coach Carmen Dolfo said of the four-point play. "We struggled offensively, had good shots we missed. Proud of Taylor, she helped us through at the end."
The Vikings led by as many as 15 points in the second quarter after battling back from an early deficit with a big run to open the double-digit advantage. Trailing 13-8 with 3:19 to play in the first quarter, the Vikings finished the quarter on a 10-1 spurt as part of a larger 26-10 run en route to a 34-23 lead at halftime.
MSU Billings outscored WWU 21-15 during the third quarter while shooting 60% (9-for-15) in the period, cutting the deficit to as few as 3 points on two occasions before heading into the final quarter trailing 49-44. The Yellowjackets took the lead at three different times during the fourth quarter and the game was tied at four points during the final quarter.
"Billings played great," Dolfo said. "Hopefully this motivates us to work hard and get better."
Peacocke who entered the game as the leading scorer in NCAA Division II (23.5 ppg) and was coming off a career-high 41 points on Tuesday at Simon Fraser, scored her 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting. She was 2-of-3 from long range and 7-for-7 at the free throw line.
Senior center Tia Briggs (Tacoma, WA/Wilson) added 12 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks, while senior guard Jessica Valley (Lafayette, IN/Nova Southeastern) tied a season-high with 11 points to go along with 8 rebounds. Briggs scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, while Valley scored 9 of her points during the first and second quarters.
Rylee Kane finished with 18 points and 5 assists for the Yellowjackets while Hanson (12 points, 8 rebounds) and Lexi Prevost (12 points, 7 rebounds) helped lead the offense as well.
WWU was 41.1% from the field (23-for-56), including 4-of-10 (40%) from the long range in the game. The Vikings, who entered the game with the fourth-best free throw percentage in the nation at 79.7%, went 13-for-13 at the line.
MSU Billings was 37.1% from the field (23-for-62) and made 3-of-12 3-pointers (25%) as well as 10-of-17 free throws (58.8%)
WWU will be on the road next week, traveling to face Western Oregon on Jan. 26 (7 pm) and Concordia on Jan. 28 (2 pm).
GAME NOTES: The WWU win streak is the longest since a 12-game streak in 2013...the school record is a 21-game win streak during the 2005-06 season...WWU's win streak is the second-longest current streak in the GNAC behind Alaska Anchorage (Won 12 entering tonight)...Taylor Peacocke has scored at least 18 points in 16 of 18 games this season and ranks 5th among all-time leading scorers at WWU with 1,622 points...Amanda Dunbar (2007-11, 1,654 points) is 4th on the list and Celeste Hill (1996-2000, 1,658) is 3rd...Peacocke is also 8th among all-time leading scorers in GNAC history and a point shy of tying for 7th... Vikings are 339-for-422 at the line this season (80.3%) to rank among the national leaders.
