BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 6/7 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team continued its perfect start to the season improving to 10-0 with a wire-to-wire 70-52 victory over Western Oregon University Thursday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
 
The Vikings recorded the 18-point victory to move to 2-0 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. Western Oregon dropped to 4-4 overall and opened conference play at 0-1.
 
Ranked No. 6 (D2SIDA Media Poll) and No. 7 (WBCA Coaches Poll) in the nation, WWU remains one of eight unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II with the 10-0 start to the season. The Vikings extended its winning streak to 16 consecutive games (includes 6-0 record during the spring 2021 season), the 5th-longest in program history. The 10-0 start is tied for 3rd-best in the 51-year history of the program and it been 663 days since the Vikings last suffered a defeat on March 7, 2020 in the GNAC Championship game vs. Alaska Anchorage.
 
Western never trailed in the game while maintaining a double-digit lead for most of the contest. WOU cut the deficit to seven points late in the third quarter after going on a 12-2 run, but the Vikings pulled away out-scoring the Wolves 21-11 in the fourth quarter. The Vikings again played dominating defense, forcing 19 turnovers (leading to 24 points), recording 10 steals and blocked seven shots.
 
Junior guard Mollie Olson led Western with 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting, connecting on both of her 3-pointer attempts and also grabbed three rebounds. Sophomore forward Carley Zaragoza added 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting and grabbed five rebounds.
 
Senior guard Emma Duff scored nine points and had seven rebounds (along with 3 steals, 3 blocks, 2 assists), passing the 1,000-point milestone for her career. Duff now has 1,003 career points in 105 games, becoming the 28th player in program history to score 1,000 points as a Viking.
 
The balanced offensive effort featured 11 different players scoring points with eight players contributing at least five points. WWU shot 48.1% for the game (26-for-54), while holding WOU to 30.5% shooting (18-for-59).
 
Cali McClave led WOU scoring a game-high 16 points on 5-for-12 shooting (3-for-6 3FG). Meadow Aragon added a game-high eight rebounds.
Western Oregon gained momentum with a 12-2 run in the third quarter, but the Vikings answered with a 11-5 run that spanned the fourth quarter to regain a double-digit lead that they would not relinquish. WOU pulled to within seven points at 43-36 with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter, but Emma Duff made a tough layup for her 1,000th career points that stalled the comeback attempt.
  Senior guard Emma Duff crossed the 1,000-point mark for her career to become the 28th player in program history to reach this historic milestone as a Viking. Duff has appeared in 105 career games with 75 starts for the Vikings.

W🏀 | 1000 POINTS!!

AND THERE IT IS!! EMMA DUFF IS THE 28th PLAYER IN @WWUbasketball PROGRAM HISTORY TO REACH 1,000 POINTS AS A VIKING!! WAY TO GO EMMA!! pic.twitter.com/IYbViJpDBC

— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) December 31, 2021

  The Vikings (10-0) were scheduled to be in action Saturday against No. 6 West Region-ranked Saint Martin's, but that game has been postponed due to health and safety protocols within the Saint Martin's program. WWU is next in action going back on the road for GNAC contests at Montana State Billings (Thursday, Jan. 6) and Seattle Pacific (Saturday, Jan. 8). Fans can follow all the action live online or via live statistical updates with direct links at wwuvikings.com/Live.
  WWU improved to 55-11 all-time vs. Western Oregon and have won 23 of the last 25 meetings against the Wolves dating back to the 2008-09 season. The Vikings also extended its winning streak vs. WOU in Bellingham to 13 consecutive games.
  WWU is off to one of its best seasons in the last 20 years at 10-0 and has won its last 16 games dating back to the abbreviated 6-0 2020-21 season that was played in February and March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a look at the best winning streaks and starts to season in program history:
 

LONGEST WINNING STREAKS
1.	21	Dec. 21, 2005 – Mar. 10, 2006
2.	19	Dec. 11, 2010 – Feb. 22, 2011
	19	1971 – 72, dates unknown
4.	17	Dec. 19, 2016 – Feb. 16, 2017
5.	16	Feb. 26, 2021 – current (spans seasons)
6.	15	1972 – 73, dates unknown
	15	Dec. 14, 1979 – Feb. 8, 1980
	15	Nov. 21, 1983 – Jan. 21, 1984
	15	Nov. 23, 2004 – Jan. 22, 2005
10.	14	1973 – 74, dates unknown
11.	13	Feb. 11, 1997 – Mar. 23, 1997
12.	12	Nov. 20, 1989 – Dec. 28, 1989
	12	Feb. 14, 2013 - Mar. 26, 2013
14.	11	Jan. 24, 1989 – Feb. 23, 1989
	11	Jan. 27, 1996 – Mar. 15, 1996
	11	Dec. 18, 2012 - Jan. 2, 2013
17.	10	Nov. 18, 1993 – Dec. 29, 1993
	10	Jan. 17, 1981 – Feb. 13, 1981
	10	Jan. 11, 1985 – Feb. 2, 1985
	10	Nov. 26, 1988 – Dec. 29, 1988
	10	Jan. 1, 1990 – Feb. 6, 1990
	10	Nov. 16, 1990 – Jan. 4, 1991
	10	Nov. 26, 1994 – Dec. 30, 1994
	10	Dec. 5, 1997 – Jan. 10, 1998
	10	Jan. 7, 2010 – Feb. 6, 2010
BEST UNBEATEN STARTS
1.	19-0	1971-1972
2.	12-0	1989-1990
3.	10-0	2021-2022
	10-0	1993-1994
	10-0	1990-1991
	10-0	1988-1989
7.	9-0	1999-2000
8.	7-0	1998-99

  One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in eight of the last 12 full seasons, and 35 times in the 50-year history of the program. WWU has 21 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 628, winning 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 1,060 all-time wins in the 50-year history of the program, and according to available records, is one of less than 20 women's college basketball team across all divisions and levels to reach the 1,000-victory milestone.