BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Tyreek Price hit a three-pointer with 20-seconds remaining and the Western Oregon University men's basketball team made a key defensive stop down the stretch to defeat Western Washington University 73-71 Thursday night in Carver Gym.
The Vikings dropped to 12-9 overall and 5-6 in GNAC play while enduring just their third home loss of the season (10-3). Western Oregon had its nine-game losing streak snapped to improve to 4-15 overall and 3-8 in conference play.
A low-scoring first half gave way to a fast-paced final 20 minutes with the Vikings leading by as many as seven points at the 12-minute mark. WOU answered the Vikings mid-half run with an 11-0 spurt to gain a 57-53 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
WOU remained in the lead until WWU hit back-to-back three-pointers by RJ Secrest and Daniel Hornbuckle to give the Vikings a one-point 71-70 lead with 1:31 remaining.
After a defensive stop by the Vikings, senior Luke Lovelady went to the free throw line with 35 seconds on the clock to try to extend the lead, but missed both attempts. Price got an open look and buried his second trey of the game to give the Wolves a two-point lead.
The Vikings looked to equalize or take the lead on the final possession, but WOU forced a turnover when Jalen Green drove the lane and the ball was knocked away. Price missed the front-end of a one-and-one giving the Vikings one more chance, but Green's last-second three-pointer attempt fell off the mark.
Junior guard Daniel Hornbuckle led the Vikings with 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting (5-for-12 3FG) and Green had 15 points and five rebounds. Senior guard RJ Secrest neared a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds.
WOU was led by a game-high 27 points from Cameron Cranston (10-for-18 FG) and 16 points and nine rebounds by Daisone Hughes (8-for-14 FG).
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and WOU from Thursday's game:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
WOU
|
|
Points
|
71
|
73
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.417 (25-60)
|
.448 (30-67)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.400 (10-25)
|
.429 (9-21)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.786 (11-14)
|
.800 (4-5)
|
|
Rebounds
|
38
|
31
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
12
|
10
|
|
Assists
|
22
|
18
|
|
Turnovers
|
13
|
8
|
|
Steals
|
5
|
6
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
5
|
5
|
|
Time Led
|
8:02
|
27:50
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
6
|
17
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
16
|
34
|
|
Bench Points
|
8
|
31
|
|
Fouls
|
11
|
12
|
While the regular-season conference champion and seeing for the GNAC tournament will be decided on a new points system, here is an updated look at the league standings following Thursday's game. View the conference schedule, scores, stats and updated standings at GNACSports.com.
|
MEN'S BASKETBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
6-4
|
.600
|
11-6
|
.647
|
8-0
|
2-6
|
1-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
6-4
|
.600
|
13-8
|
.619
|
8-1
|
2-5
|
3-2
|
Won 3
|
|
3.
|
Central Washington
|
7-5
|
.583
|
13-6
|
.684
|
7-2
|
5-3
|
1-1
|
Won 1
|
|
|
Saint Martin's
|
7-5
|
.583
|
14-7
|
.667
|
8-2
|
5-5
|
1-0
|
Lost 3
|
|
5.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
5-4
|
.556
|
7-7
|
.500
|
5-1
|
2-5
|
0-1
|
Won 2
|
|
6.
|
Montana State Billings
|
6-5
|
.545
|
10-11
|
.476
|
5-6
|
3-4
|
2-1
|
Lost 2
|
|
7.
|
Simon Fraser
|
5-5
|
.500
|
10-8
|
.556
|
6-1
|
3-6
|
1-1
|
Won 1
|
|
8.
|
Western Washington
|
5-6
|
.455
|
12-9
|
.571
|
10-3
|
1-4
|
1-2
|
Lost 1
|
|
9.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
4-8
|
.333
|
7-11
|
.389
|
4-1
|
1-8
|
2-2
|
Lost 1
|
|
10
|
Western Oregon
|
3-8
|
.273
|
4-15
|
.211
|
2-4
|
2-8
|
0-3
|
Won 1
|
|
THIS WEEK'S GNAC SCHEDULE & RESULTS
|
|
Monday, February 7
at Alaska Fairbanks 62, Montana State Billings 36
Tuesday, February 8
Western Washington 97, at Central Washington 86
at Northwest Nazarene 71, Saint Martin's 65
at Alaska Anchorage 64, Montana State Billings 57
at Seattle Pacific 76, Western Oregon 65
Thursday, February 10
Western Oregon 73, at Western Washington 71
at Northwest Nazarene 70, Alaska Anchorage 66
at Simon Fraser 64, Saint Martin's 63
at Central Washington 76, Alaska Fairbanks 73
Saturday, February 12
Saint Martin's at Western Washington, 7 pm
Western Oregon at Simon Fraser, 3 pm
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific, 2 pm
Alaska Fairbanks at Northwest Nazarene, 5:15 pm MT
Alaska Anchorage at Central Washington, 6:15 pm
|
The Vikings (12-9, 5-6 GNAC) continue its three-game homestand Saturday hosting Saint Martin's and will also entertain Montana State Billings on Monday. Saturday will be Senior Night for the Vikings with Dakota Ayala, Luke Lovelady and RJ Secrest honored prior to the game. Tickets for all home games are available in advance at wwuvikings.com/MBB_Tickets and live webcast and statistical updates will be available for all three games with direct links at wwuvikings.com/Live.
The ever-changing 2021-22 WWU Men's Basketball Schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/21-22_MBB, complete with links to purchase tickets and live coverage links for webcast and live stats.
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 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 1,526 all-time victories.
