BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No 6/11 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team sealed a regular-season sweep of Alaska Anchorage with a 63-50 victory Saturday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The Vikings were once again defensive minded with eight steals, eight blocked shots and limited UAA to a .275 field goal percentage to improve to 17-2 overall and 9-2 in GNAC play.
The No. 1 West Region-ranked Vikings also recorded a 53-45 win on January 20 in Anchorage, earning WWU's first regular-season sweep over the Seawolves since the 2012-13 season. UAA had its seven-game winning streak halted to drop to 17-5 overall and 10-4 in conference play.
Western led nearly wire-to-wire with UAA holding its only lead after scoring the first basket of the game. From there, the Vikings were in control holding a double-digit lead for a large majority of the game playing suffocating defense while getting a balanced team offensive effort.
The Vikings had nine players score points, led by 14 from junior forward Katrina Gimmaka on 6-for-11 shooting. Gimmaka scored seven of her season-high 14 points in the 4th quarter (9 in second half), including a personal 7-0 run that put the game out of reach.
Senior guard Emma Duff added 12 points in 22 minutes (4-for-12 FG) and freshman guard Riley Dykstra had 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting. Sophomore forward Brooke Walling filled up the stat sheet with six rebounds, six assists, three steals, two blocked shots and four points. Overall WWU shot 42.3% for the game (22-for-52) and were 9-for-18 from three-point range. The Vikings were without starting guard Mollie Olson (injury) and have played since early January without senior guard Dani Iwami (season-ending knee injury).
UAA was led by a 12-point, 8-rebound performance from Tennae Voliva (5-for-12 FG) and eight points in 14 minutes off the bench by Malie Marfil. The Seawolves two lowest field goal shooting performances and two of its three-lowest point totals came against the Vikings. UAA scored 19 of its 50 points at the free throw line making a season-low 14 field goals.
Western has a quick turnaround hosting games on Monday vs. Northwest Nazarene (3 pm) and Tuesday vs. Saint Martin's (7 pm) in Carver Gym for Senior Night. The regular-season finale is scheduled for next Saturday at Simon Fraser with tip-off at 5:15 pm on Burnaby Mountain.
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and UAA from Saturday' game:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
UAA
|
|
Points
|
63
|
50
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.423 (22-52)
|
.275 (14-51)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.500 (9-18)
|
.300 (3-10)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.769 (10-13)
|
.704 (19-27)
|
|
Rebounds
|
35
|
32
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
3
|
4
|
|
Defensive Rebounds
|
32
|
28
|
|
Assists
|
16
|
7
|
|
Turnovers
|
16
|
13
|
|
Steals
|
8
|
8
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
8
|
5
|
|
Time Led
|
37:11
|
1:46
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
10
|
15
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
24
|
20
|
|
Bench Points
|
16
|
21
|
|
Fouls
|
22
|
18
|
Earned the regular-season sweep over Alaska Anchorage, also winning 53-45 on January 20 in Anchorage. WWU leads the all-time series 32-28 and are 3-2 vs. the Seawolves in the last five meetings. Vikings are 17-10 all-time vs. UAA in home games with a 16-9 record in Carver Gym.
The Vikings (17-2, 9-2 GNAC) remain at home with home games against Northwest Nazarene in a Monday makeup game on President's Day at 3 pm and Senior Night will be on Tuesday against Saint Martin's (7 pm).
Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings through games played on Saturday. The Vikings remaining in first place in the conference with a 9-2 league record:
|
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
9-2
|
.818
|
17-2
|
.895
|
5-1
|
10-1
|
2-0
|
Won 3
|
|
2.
|
Montana State Billings
|
10-3
|
.769
|
16-9
|
.640
|
10-5
|
4-2
|
2-2
|
Won 4
|
|
3.
|
Central Washington
|
11-4
|
.733
|
18-6
|
.750
|
6-2
|
10-3
|
2-1
|
Won 2
|
|
4.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
10-4
|
.714
|
17-5
|
.773
|
8-2
|
8-3
|
1-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
5.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
9-6
|
.600
|
15-8
|
.652
|
8-2
|
6-4
|
1-2
|
Won 2
|
|
6.
|
Simon Fraser
|
7-7
|
.500
|
11-12
|
.478
|
6-2
|
3-6
|
2-4
|
Won 1
|
|
7.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
6-9
|
.400
|
10-15
|
.400
|
7-7
|
2-6
|
1-2
|
Lost 3
|
|
8.
|
Western Oregon
|
4-11
|
.267
|
8-14
|
.364
|
6-5
|
2-8
|
0-1
|
Lost 5
|
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3-11
|
.214
|
11-12
|
.478
|
7-6
|
2-6
|
2-0
|
Lost 2
|
|
10.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
1-13
|
.071
|
2-17
|
.105
|
0-9
|
1-7
|
1-1
|
Lost 6
|
|
THIS WEEK'S GNAC SCHEDULE & RESULTS
|
|
Tuesday, February 15
Western Washington 75, at Seattle Pacific 54
at Simon Fraser 90, Northwest Nazarene 79
Thursday, February 17
Alaska Fairbanks at Western Washington (Canceled)
Northwest Nazarene 66, at Saint Martin's 58
Alaska Anchorage 76, at Simon Fraser 55
Central Washington 66, at Western Oregon 46
Saturday, February 19
at Western Washington 63, Alaska Anchorage 50
Northwest Nazarene 64, at Western Oregon 63
Montana State Billings 56, at Seattle Pacific 53
Central Washington 78, at Saint Martin's 73
at Simon Fraser 83, Alaska Fairbanks 58
|
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 635, 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 1,067 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.
