BELLINGHAM, Wash. – In a battle of two of the top teams in the West Region, the Western Washington University men's basketball team was defeated by No. 5 nationally-ranked UC San Diego 76-69 Saturday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym to close out the GNAC/CCAA Conference Challenge.

The Vikings (1-1) and Tritons (2-0) went at each other with the game featuring 17 lead changes and 10 tie scores. UCSD used a game-changing 7-0 run midway through the second half to briefly pull away from a 55-55 tie. WWU pulled to within one point twice over the last seven minutes, but each time UCSD answered with a key basket.

Redshirt senior 7-foot center Logan Schilder capped a solid opening week of the season with a team-high 15 points and neared a double-double with 9 rebounds. Schilder was 6-for-9 from the field against UCSD, and was selected to the six-player all-tournament team averaging 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds.

Sophomore guard/forward Jalen Green was also selected to the all-tournament team after his 11-point, 7-rebound performance vs. UCSD. In the two tournament games Green scored 31 points (15.5 points/game) on 11-for-24 shooting and grabbed 15 rebounds (7.5/game).

Five Vikings reached double-digits in scoring, with junior forward Luke Lovelady recording a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double. Senior forward Trevor Jasinsky added 13 points and 6 assists and senior forward Cameron Retherford scored 11 points. 

UCSD was led by a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds from All-American Chris Hansen. The 6-7 center was 9-for-16 from the field, including 3-for-8 from 3-point range. He was named the GNAC/CCAA Conference Challenge MVP. Guard Tyrell Roberts added 15 points and Christian Oshita had 13 points and 6 rebounds to also earn a spot on the all-tourney team. UCSD's five starters scored all 76 points, with four players in double-figures.

WWU is back in action Tuesday night hosting another top West Region program when Cal Poly Pomona (1-1) visits Carver Gym for the 7 pm game. The Vikings will then take to the road for the first time this season at the Aramark GNAC/PacWest Challenge in Irvine, California for games vs. Concordia-Irvine and Azusa Pacific (Nov. 15-16).

Team Records:

UC San Diego (2-0), Western Washington (1-1), Simon Fraser (1-1), Cal St. Dominguez Hills (0-2)

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 11 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 20-win seasons in two of the last three years, 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. WWU is the 12th winningest Division II program with its 1,495 victories (five short of 1,500).