Men's Basketball | 12/14/2018 7:11:00 AM

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team returns to action this weekend with the opening game on Sunday of the Hoops in Hawai'i D2 Power Invitational.

 

The 2018 Hoops in Hawai'i Classic will feature eight top Division II programs in a traditional bracket format where a tournament champion will be crowned. The complete tournament bracket and information on how to follow the games can be found at scoringlive.com/hoopsinhawaii.

 

WWU takes a 7-2 record into the tournament and will open play in Hawai'i against undefeated and No. 20 nationally-ranked Chaminade on Sunday. The game vs. the Silverswords (6-0) is scheduled to tip-off on Sunday at 5:45 pm HT/7:45 pm PT at the Hawai'i Convention Center in Honolulu.

 

The winner of the WWU/Chaminade game will play the winner of the Southern Nazarene/Dallas Baptist game at 3:30 pm HT/5:30 pm PT on Monday, with the loser of the first-round games matching up at 1:15 pm HT/3:15 pm PT. 

 

The tournament also features No. 11 Southern Nazarene (9-1), Dallas Baptist (7-3), Western Oregon (6-1), Emmanuel College (7-4), No. 7 UC San Diego (8-1) and tournament host Hawai'i Pacific (3-3).

 

Western Washington leads the GNAC and is 6^th in Division II averaging 95.7 points per game…also listed 5^thin the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.75) and scoring margin (+18.2) and 9^th with the fewest turnovers per game (10.2).

 

All three of WWU's games in the Hoops in Hawai'i D2 Power Invitational will feature a live webcast and statistical updates with links at scoringlive.com/hoopsinhawaii.

 

 

The Vikings defeated Columbia Bible College 117-72 in a home non-conference game at Dec. 8 in Carver Gym…freshman Jalen Green led the Vikings with a career-high 18 points, as six players scored in double figures…junior Trevor Jasinsky recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and added 5 assists…overall the Vikings shot 48.4% from the field (46-for-95) and were 14-for-34 from 3-point range (41.2%)…recorded a season-high 55 rebounds and tied a season high with 8 blocked shots.

 

Here is a team-by-team statistical look at the GNAC (sorted alphabetically):

 

 

Here is a look at the GNAC standings heading into the final games prior to the Holiday break:

 

 

Following the Hoops in Hawai'i Classic, the Vikings will take a break over the Christmas holiday…WWU returns to action in the new year hosting Seattle Pacific (Thursday, Jan. 3) and No. 23 Saint Martin's (Saturday, Jan. 4) on WECU Court in Carver Gym…both games are Great Northwest Athletic Conference contests that will tip off at 7 pm…WWU is 1-1 in conference play.

 

Junior forward Trevor Jasinsky heads into Sunday's game with 99 career 3-pointers, one away from becoming the 20^th player in program history to hit the century mark for made 3-pointers…in 69 career games Jasinsky is 99-for-257 (38.5%) from beyond the arc, including 23-for-62 (37.1%) this season…here is a look at the top 3-point shooters in program history:

 

 

WWU leads the GNAC and ranks 5^th in the nation with a 1.75 assist-to-turnover ratio…has dished out 161 assists (17.9 per game) and committed only 92 turnovers for an 10.2 turnover per game average (fewest in the GNAC)…in the Vikings last game vs. Columbia Bible College recorded 25 assists with only 4 turnovers.

 

Junior Trevor Jasinsky has scored 20 or more points in six of nine games and is 2^nd in the GNAC averaging 20.2 points per game (58^th in NCAA II)…opened the season scoring 55 points in the first two games at the CCAA/GNAC Challenge in La Jolla, Calif., earning GNAC Player of the Week honors…scored career-high 32 points in season-opening victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills…overall is shooting 43.5% from the floor (54-for-124) and is 23-for-62 from 3-point range (37.1%)…connected on 51-of-55 free throw attempts (92.7%) to rank 19^th nationally in free throw percentage.

 

The Vikings lead the GNAC and rank 47^th in NCAA Division II with 76.2% accuracy from the free throw line, connecting on 131-of-172 shots from the charity stripe…WWU shot 77.4% from the line last season (496-for-641) and 78.3% in 2016-17 (564-for-720)…over the last three seasons WWU has combined to shoot 77.7% from the free throw line (1191-for-1533).

 

WWU also leads the GNAC and is 24^th in NCAA II averaging 41.89 rebounds per game…out-rebounded opponents in seven of nine games this season and is coming off a 55-rebound effort vs. Columbia Bible College…also listed 3^rd in the conference with a 5.8 rebound margin.

 

Including the first two games this season, the Vikings have combined for a 34-8 record in GNAC play over the last three seasons, winning the regular-season and tournament titles in 2016-17 and finishing 2^nd last season…seventh-year head coach Tony Dominguez owns an 84-32 (.724) record in conference play.

 

The Vikings are tied for second among teams receiving votes in the latest NABC Division II Coaches Poll with 21 points…recently slipped out of the national rankings, dropping from No. 15 in the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches)…WWU is also listed No. 8 in the in the D2SIDA Men's Basketball West Region Media Poll…the WWU men's basketball program has received a national preseason ranking in the coaches poll in six of the last seven seasons, and appeared in 103 regular-season polls since the 1999-2000 season…the national polls are listed on the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball website.

 

Junior guard Tucker Eenigenburg entered the GNAC record books with his shooting performance in a 28-point effort on Nov. 24 vs. Langara College…Eenigenburg was 10-for-11 from the field and 8-for-9 from 3-point range…the 3-point performance tied the GNAC single-game record of 3-pointers made with one miss, equaling the mark set by Central Washington's Robert Hicks against Humboldt State on Jan, 6, 2006, and tied by Western Oregon's Demetrius Trammell against Fresno Pacific on Nov. 11, 2017…Tucker hit his last five 3-pointer attempts in the game, two short of the school-record seven straight by John Allen set vs. Alaska Anchorage in 2011…in 9 games this season Eenigenburg is averaging 8.3 points per game and is 18-for-31 (58.1%) from 3-point range.

 

WWU leads the GNAC and ranks 6^th in NCAA Division II averaging 95.7 points per game…WWU is also 5^th in scoring margin at +18.4…among DII statistical leaders, the Vikings are also 29^th nationally with 9.2 steals per game, 14^th with a 5.6 turnover margin and 5^th with a 1.75 assist-to-turnover ratio...here is a look at whereWWU ranks in the GNAC and in NCAA Division II and the top 10 scoring teams in NCAA Division II below:

 

 

 

 

·      Chaminade » WWU is 6-0 all-time vs. Chaminade, last meeting the Silverswords in the 2013 NCAA II West Regional in Bellingham (102-87 victory)…3-0 in games played vs. Chaminade in Hawai'i.

·      Dallas Baptist » WWU and Dallas Baptist has never played.

·      Southern Nazarene » WWU and Southern Nazarene has never played.

·      Emmanuel College » WWU and Emmanuel College has never played.

·      Western Oregon » WWU leads the all-time series 46-20…WOU defeated the Vikings 96-88 on Dec. 1 in double overtime.

·      UC San Diego » WWU is 3-2 all-time vs. the Tritons…UCSD defeated WWU 97-92 on Nov. 10 in La Jolla.

·      Hawai'i Pacific » WWU leads the all-time series vs. Hawai'i Pacific 7-6…two schools last met in 2015 in Honolulu, an 82-76 victory by the Sharks.

 

WWU dropped a 96-88 double-overtime game at Western Oregon on Dec. 1, the first time the Vikings have gone into double overtime since Feb. 4, 2016 vs. Alaska Anchorage…since joining the GNAC in 2001-02, WWU is 13-14 in overtime games, but is 0-6 in games that go into double or triple overtime.

 

WWU is 3-0 in Carver Gym this season and have 10 remaining regular-season home games on WECU Court in 2018-19…WWU is 559-165 (.772) all-time in Carver Gym, including a 11-5 record last season, with head coach Tony Dominguez leading WWU to a 58-8 (.879) record in the on-campus facility…the complete season schedule with links to webcasts and live stats can be found at WWUVikings.com/MBB.

 

Junior forward Trevor Jasinsky was selected as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the opening week of the 2018-19 season…the 6-7 forward out of Camas High School scored 55 points in WWU's opening two games of the 2018-19 season…he averaged 27.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game, while playing 75 of 80 minutes in the two games…also selected to the five-player CCAA/GNAC Challenge All-Tournament Team…scored a career-high 32 points in the season-opening 84-78 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills (8-15 FG, 3-7 3FG, 13-13 FT), including 10 of the Vikings final 12 points in the 6-point victory…he backed that performance up with a 23-point, 5-rebound, 8-assist effort vs. UC San Diego.

 

The WWU men's basketball program is 14 wins short of 1,500 in program history, which dates back to 1903 (1486-1026)…WWU has a string of 11 consecutive winning seasons entering the 2018-19 season, combining to go 249-93 (.728) during this stretch dating back to the 2007-08 season.

 

The Vikings feature a new-look team for 2018-19, with five letterwinners returning from last year's team that finished 21-8 overall and 16-4 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference…junior forward Trevor Jasinsky (Camas, WA) and senior guard Siaan Rojas (Concord, CA/Santa Rosa JC) were both named to the GNAC Preseason All-Conference team as unanimous selections…Jasinsky is WWU's top returning scorer after averaging 10.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, while Rojas was WWU's sixth man last season, playing in all 29 games (one start), contributing 8.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game…senior co-captain guard Tyler Payne (Long Beach, CA/La Mirada/Cerritos College) appeared in 15 games as a backup point guard last season…senior 7-foot senior center Logan Schilder (Bellingham, WA/Whatcom CC) averaged 7.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 28 games last season, but is expected to utilize his redshirt season in 2018-19.

 

A host of exciting newcomers dot the Vikings 15-player roster…redshirt junior guards Leif Anderson (Bellingham, WA/Sehome), Micah Winn (Los Angeles, CA/Crenshaw/Cerritos College) and Elijah Cotton-Welch (Tacoma, WA/Wilson/Lower Columbia College), redshirt freshman guard RJ Secrest (Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap), junior college transfer forward Cameron Retherford (Portland, OR/Benson/Portland CC), sophomore forward transfer Luke Lovelady (Tacoma, WA/Life Christian/Point Loma), true freshman forwardJalen Green (F/G, Renton, WA/Lindbergh) and junior transfer guard Tucker Eenigenburg (Bakersfield, CA/Stockdale/Bakersfield College) are all new to the program and saw significant minutes during the preseason exhibition games…junior college transfer forward KJ Bosco (Portland, OR/Benson/Portland CC) did not see action in the preseason…true freshman point guard D'Angelo Minnis (Covington, WA/Kentwood) is a redshirt candidate for the 2018-19 season.

 

WWU will serve as the host for the 2019 GNAC Championships, with the top six teams in both the men's and women's conference standings at the end of the season qualifying for the tournament that will be held March 7-9 on WECU Court in Carver Gym. 

 

The Vikings entered the season ranked No. 4 in the annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Men's Basketball Poll, receiving 83 points in the vote of the conference's 11 head coaches…trails preseason favorite Saint Martin's (118 points), second-place Seattle Pacific (105 points) and third-place Western Oregon (94 points)...WWU opens the conference season Nov. 29 at Concordia in Portland.

 

 

The Vikings together another impressive season in 2017-18 finishing with a 21-8 overall record and a second-place finish in the GNAC at 16-4…WWU led the conference in scoring at 83.4 points per game, ranked 4th in NCAA Division II with 6.0 blocks per game and 13th nationally with a .774 free-throw percentage…marked the sixth 20-win season over the last seven seasons.

 

Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his seventh season at the helm of the program, and 24^th overall at WWU, leading the Vikings to a 140-53 record (.725)…over the last three seasons (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19) WWU has combined for a 53-16 record and carries a streak of 11 consecutive winning seasons into the 2018-19 campaign…he is assisted by David Dunham (third season), Bob Hofstetter (6^th season) and Atiavo Jude(6^th season).

 

Fans can follow the men's basketball team online at WWUVikings.com/MBB, and via social media on Twitter (@WWUHoops) and Facebook (@WWUmensbball).

 

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, WWU has recorded a 20-win season in eight of the last 10 seasons. WWU is a six-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion and has appeared in the NCAA II Elite 8 three times. The Vikings won the 2011-12 NCAA Division II National Championship and advanced the following season to the NCAA II Final Four. Western has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a 25-6 record in 2016-17 where it won the GNAC regular season and conference championships title, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships as the No. 3 seed in the West Region. The program recently completed its 116^th season posting a 21-8 record in 2017-18, and have combined for 1,486 victories and a .591 winning percentage in program history.

 

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