BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's basketball team used a fast start and a strong finish to record a 20-point victory over Montana State Billings, 81-61, Saturday evening in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
WWU scored 31 first-quarter points to build a 31-19 lead and then pulled away late out-scoring the Yellowjackets 19-8 in the final quarter for the decisive victory. WWU improved to 5-3 overall and 1-1 in GNAC play. MSUB drops to 4-5 overall and 1-1 in conference action.
Junior guard Emma Duff paced the Vikings with a career-high 24 points, connecting on 9-of-14 shots, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Duff added 8 rebounds and one steal.
Senior center Anna Schwecke neared a double-double with 21 points and a game-high 9 rebounds. Schwecke was 8-for-13 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
Sophomore guard Avery Dykstra added 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting and recorded 3 steals.
The Vikings shot 49.2% from the field (32-for-65) for the second-best shooting performance of the young season and dominated the boards with a 44-25 advantage in rebounding. WWU's strong inside play resulted in a 46-16 advantage in points in the paint and a 13-3 edge in second-chance points.
The Yellowjackets were led by a game-high 25 points from Hannah Collins, who was 6-for-14 from the field with four 3-pointers. She also was 9-for-10 from the free throw line.
BIG SCORING FIRST QUARTER
The Vikings scored 31 first-quarter points, shooting 66.7% (12-for-18) in the first 10 minutes of the contest. The 31-point quarter marks only the eighth time the Vikings have scored 30+ points in a quarter since the NCAA adopted the current 4-quarter system in 2015-16. In five seasons of the current format, tonight's 31-point first quarter is the second-highest opening quarter in program history trailing only 36 points vs. Texas A&M International in 2017.
The Vikings (5-3, 1-1 GNAC) return to action December 19 and 21 with a pair of games in the Puerto Rico Clásico, playing against Puerto Rico Bayamon and Puerto Rico Rio Piedras. The Vikings are back in GNAC play in the new year January 2 and 4 against Western Oregon and Concordia.
More information on WWU Basketball can be found online at WWUVikings.com/WBB and via social media on Twitter (@WWUBasketball), Instagram (@wwu.basketball) and Facebook (@WWUwomensbball).
One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in seven of the last 11 seasons, and 34 times in the 48-year history of the program. WWU has 20 seasons of 20 or more wins under head coach Carmen Dolfo, who is the winningest coach of any sport at WWU and ranks among Division II active and all-time coaching leaders in wins, win percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 16 of 21 seasons at the Division II level with two trips to the Final Four. The program has 1,027 all-time wins in the 48-year history of the program, and according to available records, is one of just 16 women's college basketball team across all divisions and levels to reach the milestone.
