BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball game battled back with a strong second half, but dropped an 80-76 game Thursday evening against Montana State Billings on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The Vikings dropped to 9-5 overall and 2-2 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. MSUB improved to 11-4 overall and remained perfect in GNAC play at 5-0.
In a battle of two of the top eight West Region-ranked teams, No. 6 MSUB got off to a quick start and held a seven-point 48-41 halftime lead.
After trailing by 10 points early in the second half, WWU battled back using a 12-2 run to pull ahead 63-61 with just over eight minutes remaining. With the score tied 63-63, the Vikings rattled off six consecutive points to take a 69-63 lead with 4:45 on the clock.
The Yellowjackets would pull even at 69-69 and ended the game on a 17-7 run to secure the four-point victory over the Vikings. MSUB scored 13 of its final 15 points at the free throw line to swing the momentum back to their side.
With the score tied 71-71 at the 1:28 mark, a foul was originally called on MSUB's Bilal Shabazz, but the officials overturned the ruling after video replay. Shabazz hit both free throws and the Yellowjackets would not trail the remainder of the game.
WWU redshirt freshman forward BJ Kolly recorded his first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Junior forward Jonathan Ned led the Vikings with 16 points on 6-for-15 shooting and guards Kai Johnson (14 points, 9 rebounds) and D'Angelo Minnis (13 points, 2 steals, 2 assts) also scored in double-digits.
MSUB was led by a game-high 18 points by Carrington Wiggins and 16 points from Emmanuel Ajanaku on 6-for-7 shooting. Shabazz recorded an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. The Yellowjackets were nearly perfect from the free throw line at 20-for-22, shooting twice as many free throws than the Vikings (10-for-11).
The Vikings (9-5, 2-2 GNAC) remain at home in Carver Gym for a Saturday showdown with Seattle Pacific (9-5, 4-1 GNAC) at 7 pm on WECU Court. The complete 2022-23 WWU men's basketball schedule with links to live coverage can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/MBB.
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and MSU Billings:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
MSUB
|
|
Points
|
76
|
80
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.426 (29-68)
|
.443 (27-61)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.286 (8-28)
|
.250 (6-24)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.909 (10-11)
|
.909 (20-22)
|
|
Rebounds
|
43
|
31
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
12
|
3
|
|
Assists
|
11
|
17
|
|
Turnovers
|
16
|
8
|
|
Steals
|
4
|
7
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
4
|
2
|
|
Time Led
|
5:12
|
30:44
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
8
|
17
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
40
|
38
|
|
Bench Points
|
10
|
14
|
|
Fouls
|
17
|
12
|
|
Biggest Lead
|
6
|
10
|
|
Lead Changes: 1 Times Tied: 3
|
Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2022-23 season:
|
RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall
|
9-5
|
|
GNAC
|
2-2
|
|
Non-Conference
|
7-3
|
|
Home
|
2-1
|
|
Away
|
3-2
|
|
Neutral
|
4-2
|
|
vs. Ranked Teams
|
0-1
|
|
Leading at Half
|
7-0
|
|
Trailing at Half
|
2-5
|
|
Tied at Half
|
0-0
|
|
Overtime
|
2-1
|
|
BY UNIFORM
|
|
White
|
4-2
|
|
Black
|
4-2
|
|
Navy
|
1-1
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-0
|
Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings, complete with Thursday's results from around the conference:
|
MEN'S BASKETBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Montana State Billings
|
5-0
|
1.000
|
11-4
|
.733
|
3-1
|
5-2
|
3-1
|
Won 3
|
|
2.
|
Saint Martin's
|
4-0
|
1.000
|
12-2
|
.857
|
8-1
|
2-0
|
2-1
|
Won 3
|
|
3.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
4-1
|
.800
|
9-5
|
.643
|
5-0
|
2-4
|
2-1
|
Won 3
|
|
4.
|
Western Washington
|
2-2
|
.500
|
9-5
|
.643
|
2-1
|
3-2
|
4-2
|
Lost 2
|
|
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
2-2
|
.500
|
8-5
|
.615
|
5-2
|
1-2
|
2-1
|
Won 4
|
|
|
Western Oregon
|
2-2
|
.500
|
5-6
|
.455
|
2-3
|
2-2
|
1-1
|
Won 1
|
|
7.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
2-3
|
.400
|
5-8
|
.385
|
4-5
|
1-3
|
0-0
|
Won 1
|
|
8.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
1-3
|
.250
|
6-6
|
.500
|
4-2
|
1-4
|
1-0
|
Lost 2
|
|
9.
|
Simon Fraser
|
0-4
|
.000
|
5-9
|
.357
|
3-3
|
0-5
|
2-1
|
Lost 3
|
|
10.
|
Central Washington
|
0-5
|
.000
|
4-10
|
.286
|
3-3
|
1-3
|
0-4
|
Lost 3
|
|
GNAC Schedule & Results
|
|
Thursday, January 5
Alaska Anchorage 90, at Central Washington 72
Montana State Billings 80, at Western Washington 76
Seattle Pacific 92, at Simon Fraser 72
at Northwest Nazarene 72, Alaska Fairbanks 62
Saturday, January 7
Alaska at Central Washington, 6:15 pm
Saint Martin's at Western Oregon, 4:15 pm
Montana State Billings at Simon Fraser, 7 pm
Seattle Pacific at Western Washington, 7 pm
Alaska Anchorage at Northwest Nazarene, 7:30 pm
|
Here is a game-by-game look at the 2022-23 season following the four-point loss to MSUB:
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
|
Score
|
Top Scorer
|
Top Rebounder
|
|
11/11
|
vs. Cal Poly Humboldt (Burnaby, BC)
|
W
|
104-95
|
Hornbuckle (22)
|
Holden/Kolly (8)
|
|
11/12
|
vs. Cal St. Dominguez Hills (Burnaby, BC)
|
W
|
94-69
|
Hornbuckle (21)
|
Welp (8)
|
|
11/18
|
vs. Concordia Irvine (Azusa, CA)
|
W
|
92-78
|
Minnis (25)
|
Minnis (7)
|
|
11/19
|
at Azusa Pacific (Azusa, CA)
|
L
|
86-72
|
Johnson (14)
|
Holden (7)
|
|
11/22
|
Maine Fort Kent
|
W
|
108-54
|
Holden (16)
|
Welp (12)
|
|
11/26
|
at Point Loma
|
W
|
91-89 (ot)
|
Johnson (25)
|
Holden (9)
|
|
12/3
|
at Simon Fraser (GNAC)
|
W
|
75-61
|
Ned (21)
|
Johnson/Welp (7)
|
|
12/12
|
Langara
|
W
|
135-87
|
Minnis (23)
|
3 Players (7)
|
|
12/17
|
vs. Texas Permian Basin (Honolulu, HI)
|
L
|
76-66
|
Holden/Ned (13)
|
Kolly/Johnson (8)
|
|
12/18
|
vs. Emmanuel College (Honolulu, HI)
|
L
|
105-98 (ot)
|
Minnis (25)
|
Ned (8)
|
|
12/19
|
at Hawai'i Pacific (Honolulu, HI)
|
W
|
70-69
|
Johnson (18)
|
Kolly/Welp (6)
|
|
12/29
|
at Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
W
|
95-93 (ot)
|
Welp (17)
|
Welp (12)
|
|
12/31
|
at Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
L
|
89-84
|
Johnson (17)
|
Johnson (7)
|
|
1/5
|
Montana State Billings (GNAC)
|
L
|
80-76
|
Ned (16)
|
Kolly (11)
|
|
1/7
|
Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/12
|
at Alaska Anchorage (GNAC)
|
|
|
5:15 pm AKT
|
|
|
1/14
|
at Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
|
|
5:15 pm AKT
|
|
|
1/19
|
Central Washington (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/21
|
Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/26
|
Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/28
|
Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
2/2
|
at Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:30 pm
|
|
|
2/4
|
at Montana State Billings (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:30 pm MT
|
|
|
2/9
|
Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
2/11
|
Alaska Anchorage (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
2/16
|
at Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm MT
|
|
|
2/18
|
at Central Washington (GNAC)
|
|
|
6:00 pm
|
|
|
2/25
|
Simon Fraser (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
GNAC Basketball Championships – March 2-4 in Bellingham, WA (Carver Gym)
|
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 1,537 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 .668 winning percentage (191-95).
