MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Washington University women's basketball team was defeated by Western Oregon University, 73-70 in double overtime on Thursday evening in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action in the New PE Building. 

Senior center Anna Schwecke recorded a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double, but it wasn't enough to overcome the strong comeback effort by the Wolves.

WWU had its three-game winning streak snapped to fall to 7-4 overall and 1-2 in GNAC play. Western Oregon improved to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The game was the first double-overtime contest for the Vikings since 2016-17, a 75-72 loss against Alaska Anchorage. 

The Vikings controlled the game in the first half taking a 17-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 32-25 lead into halftime. Junior guard Dani Iwami led the Vikings in the first half with 8 points on 3-6 shooting while Schwecke and junior forward Kelsey Rogers each contributing 7 points.

The second half saw the Vikings push the lead to as many as 12 points halfway through the third quarter at the 5:45 mark but a 12-2 run by Western Oregon to close out the quarter brought them within two points at 41-39. 

The fourth quarter went back and forth, but the Vikings held an 8-point lead at 52-44 with 4:29 remaining and had a 6-point advantage at 55-49 with 1:19 left in regulation.

The Wolves went on a 6-0 run to end regulation, with Tresai McCarver tying the game on the free throw line with seven seconds on the clock. She missed her second free throw, but WOU grabbed the offensive rebound with a chance to win the game. Following a defensive stop by the Vikings, Iwami's last-second shot fell short to push the game into overtime. WWU was 0-for-4 from the free throw line in the last 25 seconds of regulation.

Overtime saw the Vikings hold a 4-point lead after a layup by sophomore forward Katrina Gimmaka with 1:14 left to play, but the Wolves again fought back. Two made field goals down the stretch by Western Oregon tied the game again at 63-63 and the game went into a second overtime. The second overtime began with the Wolves taking their first lead since they started the game up 2-0 and it was one they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way for the 73-70 victory.

Rogers tied for the team high with 15 points on 6-for-15 shooting and Iwami had 14 points on 6-for-15 shooting. Senior guard Lexie Bland contributed 7 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists and junior guard Emma Duff grabbed 10 rebounds.

Western Oregon's Tresai McCarver led all players with 22 points on 8-for-23 shooting, and also had 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Meadow Aragon just missed a double-double with 10 points and 9 rebounds.

WWU won the battle of the boards with a 53-39 rebounding advantage, but the Vikings committed a season-high 23 turnovers and were 14-for-23 (60.9%) from the free throw line. Overall WWU shot a season-low 32.9% from the field (25-for-76) and were 6-for-24 from 3-point range.

The Vikings (7-4, 1-2 GNAC) continue its Oregon road trip on Saturday facing Concordia in Portland with tip-off at 4:15 pm on LCEF Court. WWU returns home next week to host Saint Martin's (Thursday, 1/7) and Seattle Pacific (Saturday, 1/9) in Carver Gym. Tip-off for both home games next week are at 7:00 pm.

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 with 597, 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 1,029 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.