HAYWARD, Calif. – Facing a seven-point deficit entering the final quarter of play, the No. 3 seed Western Washington University women's basketball put together a dominating final 10 minutes of play to record a 64-58 West Regional semifinal victory over in-state rival and No. 2 Central Washington University Saturday evening in Pioneer Gymnasium.
 
CWU held a 50-43 lead following a last-second put-back shot to end the third quarter, but the Vikings opened up the final stanza going on a 10-0 run and out-scored the Wildcats 21-8 in the fourth quarter to advance to the NCAA Division II West Regional Championship game and the national Sweet 16.
 
WWU's 10-0 run was fueled by six points from Brooke Walling and four from Emma Duff, with the two standouts combining for half of the Vikings total points (32 of 64) in the game. The fourth quarter defensive lockdown limited CWU to 3-for-19 shooting over the final 10 minutes (0-for-8 3FG) and WWU held a 17-6 rebounding advantage in the quarter.
 
Playing Central for the fourth time this season and the second time in eight days, the Vikings got their revenge after dropping the GNAC Championships title game 57-46 last Saturday in Lacey, Washington. The teams split the season series 2-2, with each team winning a regular-season game on the road and one win each in the postseason.
 
Getting the last word in the rivalry series vs. CWU, the Vikings improved to 22-5 overall and will play in the NCAA II West Regional championship game for the fourth time since the program joined the NCAA ranks in 1998-99. WWU is 2-1 all-time in West Regional finals, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2000 and 2013.
 
WWU advances to the West Regional Championship game where the Vikings will take on No. 1 seed and regional host Cal State East Bay (24-2) Monday night at 7 pm in Pioneer Gymnasium. The winner advances to the NCAA II Elite Eight that will be played March 21-25 at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
Walling finished with a career-high 19 points on 9-for-14 shooting, also grabbing four rebounds and recording a steal. The sophomore forward left the game with two minutes remaining in regulation with a sprained ankle.
 
Duff, a unanimous First Team All-GNAC selection, poured in 13 points on 4-for-10 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
 
WWU's balanced attack also featured seven points and 10 rebounds from freshman guard Riley Dykstra, who hit a pair of free throws with five seconds remaining to clinch the six-point victory. Junior guard Mollie Olson added seven points and four assists. Freshman post Truitt Reilly scored six points on 3-for-4 shooting in clutch situations and freshman guard Maddy Grandbois hit a pair of first-half three-pointers.
 
The Vikings combined to shoot 43.3-percent in the game (26-for-60), including 8-for-14 (.571) accuracy in the fourth quarter. WWU also out-rebounded the Wildcats 42-32 and held the top three-point shooting team in the GNAC to 5-for-21 from beyond the arc.
 
CWU had its season come to a close with a 24-8 record. GNAC Player of the Year Kassidy Malcolm led the Wildcats with 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting and Samantha Bowman added a 12-point, 15-rebound double-double.

W🏀 | The stage is set for Monday's West Regional Final with @WWUbasketball facing Cal State East Bay at 7 pm.

It will be the No. 3 seed Vikings against the No. 1 and tournament host Pioneers for a trip to the Elite Eight on the line! pic.twitter.com/cpQWRxThDI
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) March 13, 2022

  The Vikings entered the final quarter of play trailing Central Washington 50-43, but facing adversity and challenges is where this team has succeeded all year long. WWU began the quarter on a 10-0 run in the first 3:14 of play, with Brooke Walling scoring six points and Emma Duff four. CWU tied the game at 53-53 on a free throw and layup, but WWU answered scoring eight consecutive points over a four-minute stretch to build a 61-53 lead. Overall the Vikings out-scored the Wildcats 21-8 in the final quarter to punch its ticket to the West Regional final.
  Each team went on an extended scoring run in the first half, but through the first 20 minutes CWU held a one-point lead over WWU 35-34. The Vikings took an early four-point lead at 12-8, but the Wildcats went on a 16-2 run that extended into the second quarter to lead 24-14. Western then answered with a 13-0 run highlighted by a pair of Maddy Grandbois three-pointers. WWU freshman Truitt Reilly hit a late layup in traffic to bring the halftime score to 35-34.
 
Brooke Walling led the Vikings with eight points on 4-for-6 shooting, followed by seven points from Emma Duff (6 rebounds) and six from Grandbois (2-for-2 3FG). WWU shot 48.3-percent in the half (14-for-29) and were 3-for-8 from beyond the arc. CWU shot 51.7-percent in the first 20 minutes (15-for-29) and were led by 12 points from Kassidy Malcolm and 10 points and seven rebounds by Samantha Bowman.

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and CWU from Saturday's NCAA Division II Championships West Regional Semifinal:
 

COMPARISON	WWU	CWU
Points	64	58
Field Goal Pct.	.433 (26-60)	.371 (23-62)
3 Point FG Pct.	.250 (4-16)	.238 (5-21)
Free Throw Pct.	.667 (8-12)	.700 (7-10)
Rebounds	42	32
Offensive Rebounds	10	8
Defensive Rebounds	32	24
Assists	16	11
Turnovers	12	8
Steals	5	5
Blocked Shots	1	0
Time Led	12:32	25:00
Points off Turnovers	6	13
Points in the Paint	36	26
Bench Points	21	4
Fouls	14	14

  The Vikings are playing in their 18th NCAA Championships in 23 possible seasons (since 1998-99). Has now advanced to the Championships in each of the last two seasons eligible (only played six games last season). Did not get the chance to play in the 2020 NCAA II West Regional in Honolulu, Hawai'i when the pandemic canceled the tournament. WWU advanced to the NCAA Championships in 15 of 16 seasons from 1999-2014. Won two regional championships in 2000 and 2013. The Vikings own an all-time 17-16 record in NCAA tournament play, recording at least one win in 11 of 17 prior regional appearances (with a game played). Below is a game-by-game listing of WWU in NCAA Tournament play with the regional host site listed next to the year:
 
1998-99 (Davis, CA):
Defeated Seattle Pacific, 77-69 (OT)
Lost to Montana State Billings, 70-48
 
1999-2000 (Pomona, CA):
Defeated Alaska Anchorage, 78-59
Defeated Cal Poly Pomona, 84-66
Defeated Slippery Rock, 84-67 – Elite 8
Lost to Northern Kentucky, 80-74 – Final Four
 
2000-01 (Pomona, CA):
Defeated Central Washington, 74-66
Lost to Cal Poly Pomona, 91-85
 
2001-02 (Pomona, CA):
Defeated Sonoma State, 71-60
Lost to Cal Poly Pomona, 71-70
 
2002-03 (Seattle, WA):
Lost to Northwest Nazarene, 83-79
 
2003-04 (Seattle, WA):
Defeated Sonoma State, 85-71
Lost to Seattle Pacific, 80-66
 
2004-05 (Seattle, WA):
Defeated CSU Dominguez Hills, 82-74 (OT)
Lost to Chico State, 85-75
 
2005-06 (Bellingham, WA):
Defeated Northwest Nazarene, 66-54
Lost to Seattle Pacific, 70-50
 
2006-07 (La Jolla, CA):
Lost to UC San Diego, 78-45
 
2008-09 (Seattle, WA):
Lost to Humboldt State, 74-64
 
2009-10 (Seattle, WA):
Lost to Chico State, lost 79-68
 
2010-11 (Pomona, CA):
Lost to Alaska Anchorage, 55-48
 
2011-12 (La Jolla, CA):
Defeated Cal State Monterey Bay, 65-58
Lost to UC San Diego, 81-66
 
2012-13 (Bellingham, WA):
Defeated Academy of Art, 70-50
Defeated Cal State Monterey Bay, 71-63
Defeated Simon Fraser, 75-58
Defeated Nova Southeastern, 80-76 (OT)
Lost to Ashland, 66-54 – Final Four
 
2013-14 (Pomona, CA):
Lost to Simon Fraser, 77-70
 
2016-17 (Anchorage, AK):
Defeated Cal State East Bay, 74-48
Lost to Cal Baptist, 80-68
 
2019-20 (Honolulu, HI):
vs. Alaska Anchorage, DNP (COVID-19)
 
2021-22 (Hayward, CA):
Defeated Alaska Anchorage, 76-64
Defeated Central Washington, 64-58
  The Vikings have reached the 20-win mark (22-5), marking the 36th 20-win season in the 51-year history of the program, and 22nd in 31 seasons under head coach Carmen Dolfo.
  One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in nine of the last 13 full seasons, and 36 times in the 51-year history of the program. WWU has 22 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 640, winning percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 18 of 23 possible seasons at the Division II level with two trips to the Final Four. The program has 1,072 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.