NAMPA, Idaho – The No. 6/8 Western Washington University women's basketball team endured just its second loss of the season in a 77-70 overtime road defeat at Northwest Nazarene Thursday in the Johnson Sports Center.
In a game that featured 58 total fouls, it was only fitting that the game hinged on a crucial call as NNU was awarded three free throws with time nearly expired when Brooke Walling appeared to graze NNU's Cami Knishka on the game-tying three-pointer attempt. Knishka connected on all three free throws to push the game into overtime and the Nighthawks controlled the five-minute extra period out-scoring the Vikings 12-5 for the seven-point victory.
WWU slipped into a first-place tie in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 6-2 and dropped to 14-2 overall. The Vikings were also dealt its first road loss in 11 games away from Bellingham this season. NNU improved to 13-6 overall and 7-4 in GNAC play.
The Vikings had a chance to seal the victory in regulation, but missed three free throws over the final 21 seconds to open the door for the Nighthawks to push the game into overtime.
Knishka continued her late game heroics leading off the overtime period with a three-pointer and the NNU defense held Western without a field goal in the extra frame until the final minute. Knishka finished the game with 16 points in 26 minute off the bench, including going 11-for-12 at the free throw line. NNU set a single-game GNAC high this season by a wide margin with 42 free throw attempts (29-for-42). Nyalam Thabach led four NNU players in double-figure scoring with 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting.
Sophomore forward Brooke Walling led the Vikings with a season-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Junior guard Mollie Olson added 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting and junior forward Katrina Gimmaka also totaled a season high with 13 points. Leading scorer Emma Duff was limited to seven points in 12 minutes after fouling out with over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. Freshman forward Truitt Reilly tallied five of the Vikings nine blocked shots.
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and NNU from Thursday's game:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
NNU
|
|
Points
|
70
|
77
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.379 (22-58)
|
.348 (23-66)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.250 (5-20)
|
.143 (2-14)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.724 (21-29)
|
.690 (29-42)
|
|
Rebounds
|
49
|
38
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
14
|
13
|
|
Assists
|
12
|
13
|
|
Turnovers
|
28
|
14
|
|
Steals
|
6
|
15
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
9
|
1
|
|
Time Led
|
32:41
|
9:58
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
14
|
14
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
32
|
32
|
|
Bench Points
|
21
|
29
|
The Vikings (14-2, 6-2 GNAC) continues its three-game road trip crossing the mountain pass on Saturday for a match-up against in-state rival Central Washington with tip-off at 4 pm in Nicholson Pavilion. WWU also plays at Seattle Pacific University on Tuesday at 4 pm in a makeup game from the postponed January 8 contest. The road games vs. the Wildcats and Falcons will feature a live webcast and statistical updates with direct links available at wwuvikings.com/Live.
Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings following play on Thursday, with the Vikings now in a tie for first place in the table with Central Washington:
|
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
6-2
|
.750
|
14-2
|
.875
|
4-1
|
8-1
|
2-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
|
Central Washington
|
9-3
|
.750
|
16-5
|
.762
|
6-1
|
8-3
|
2-1
|
Won 1
|
|
3.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
8-3
|
.727
|
15-4
|
.789
|
7-2
|
7-2
|
1-0
|
Won 5
|
|
|
Montana State Billings
|
8-3
|
.727
|
14-9
|
.609
|
9-5
|
3-2
|
2-2
|
Won 2
|
|
5.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
7-4
|
.636
|
13-6
|
.684
|
8-1
|
4-3
|
1-2
|
Won 2
|
|
6.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
6-6
|
.500
|
10-12
|
.454
|
7-4
|
2-6
|
1-2
|
Won 2
|
|
7.
|
Simon Fraser
|
4-6
|
.400
|
8-11
|
.421
|
4-1
|
2-6
|
2-4
|
Lost 1
|
|
8.
|
Western Oregon
|
4-8
|
.333
|
8-11
|
.421
|
6-3
|
2-7
|
0-1
|
Lost 2
|
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
2-9
|
.182
|
10-10
|
.500
|
7-4
|
1-6
|
2-0
|
Lost 4
|
|
10.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
1-11
|
.083
|
2-15
|
.118
|
0-8
|
1-6
|
1-1
|
Lost 4
|
|
THIS WEEK'S GNAC SCHEDULE & RESULTS
|
|
Tuesday, February 8
Alaska Anchorage 73, at Western Oregon 65
Seattle Pacific 63, at Saint Martin's 43
Thursday, February 10
at Northwest Nazarene 77, Western Washington 70 (OT)
at Montana State Billings 52, Saint Martin's 50
at Seattle Pacific 67, Western Oregon 54
at Central Washington 92, Simon Fraser 69
Saturday, February 12
Western Washington at Central Washington, 4 pm
Alaska Anchorage at Alaska Fairbanks, 3 pm AKT
Saint Martin's at Seattle Pacific, 4:15 pm
Western Oregon at Montana State Billings, 7 pm MT
Simon Fraser at Northwest Nazarene, 7:30 pm MT
|
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 632, 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 1,064 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.
