BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team is off to a great start at 5-1 and will host a great event Tuesday in Carver Gym with Native American Heritage Night.

 

WWU will welcome the Lummi Nation for a pregame event prior to the game vs. Capilano University that is scheduled to tip-off at 7 pm on WECU Court. The game will be opened by the Lhaq'temish Singers and feature the Lummi Boys & Girls Club youth basketball teams at halftime.

 

Prior to the game, the WWU Native American Student Union will host a pregame reception for the local tribal community at 5 pm in Miller Hall. The reception will include foot and refreshments, as well as BINGO starting at 5:30 pm for a chance to win prizes. The pregame event is free and game tickets are available free for members of the Lummi Nation.

 

The Vikings are 5-1 heading into a pair of games this week, hosting Capilano in a non-conference game Tuesday and opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Saturday against Simon Fraser University in Burnaby with tip-off at 7:30 pm. The nationally-ranked WWU women's basketball team will also play at SFU with tip-off at 5:15 pm to open the GNAC basketball doubleheader.

 

WWU is coming of a pair of wins last week, defeating Maine Fort Kent 108-54 in Carver Gym and a 91-89 overtime victory on the road over Point Loma. The Vikings are ranked 10th nationally averaging 93.5 points per game and No. 20 with a .514 field goal percentage.

 

Senior guard Daniel Hornbuckle leads the team averaging 16.7 points per game (3rd in the GNAC) and GNAC Player of the Week Kai Johnson is right behind him with 15.2 points per game (7th in the GNAC). Hornbuckle and junior guard D'Angelo Minnis are tied for 6th in the conference averaging 3.7 assists per game.

 

The complete 2022-23 WWU men's basketball schedule can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/22-23_MBB.

 

 

Here is a look at the series history between WWU and its opponents this week, Capilano and Simon Fraser:

 

• Capilano: The Vikings are 4-0 all-time vs. Capilano in non-exhibition contests, dating back to the first meeting in 2011…defeated the Blues 126-72 in the last official meeting during the 2019-20 season….
• Simon Fraser: Vikings went 2-0 earlier this season in neutral-site games in West Gym in the GNAC/CCAA Challenge…WWU dropped both games to SFU last season, both two-point defeats (82-80 in OT at home, 78-76 on the road)…Vikings lead the all-time series 59-28 and are 9-4 over the last 13 meetings…SFU has won four of the last five in the series after WWU won 20 of 21 games from 1998-2019.

 

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2022-23 season:

 

 

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2022-23 season following Saturday's overtime win at Point Loma:

 

 

Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his 11th season at the helm of the program, and 28th overall at WWU. Dominguez has led the Vikings to a 187-91 record (.673) and was the 2016-17 GNAC Coach of the Year. He is assisted by David Dunham (7th season), Bob Hofstetter (10th season), Atiavo Jude (10th season) and Director of Basketball Operations/Assistant Coach AJ Albritton(2nd season).

 

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 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship and advanced the following season to the NCAA II Final Four. Western has 20-win seasons in three of the last four years (and seven of nine) and won the 2020 GNAC Championships Tournament. WWU is the 12th winningest Division II program with its 1,528 all-time victories. Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his 10th season and 11th year as the Vikings head coach (28th overall at WWU) and is listed in the top 20 amongst active NCAA Division II head coaches with a .673 winning percentage (187-91).