By: Jeff Evans, Director of Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University looks to continue its solid early-season start this week with a pair of West Region clashes in Seattle at the GNAC/PacWest Challenge in Royal Brougham Pavilion.
WWU takes its 4-2 record into games against Concordia Irvine on Friday and Azusa Pacific on Saturday, with both games scheduled for a 5 pm tip-off on the campus of Seattle Pacific University.
The Vikings went 2-0 last weekend at the West Region Crossover Classic in Arcata, California, defeating Cal State Dominguez Hills (81-58) and tournament host Cal Poly Humboldt (95-69). WWU made its home debut on WECU Court in Carver Gym on Tuesday falling to Hawai'i Pacific 83-67.
Junior guard Kai Johnson is the reigning GNAC Player of the Week after earning tournament MVP honors over the weekend by averaging 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game at the West Region Crossover. Against HPU Johnson poured in a team-best 23 points.
Western has five players averaging double-figures in scoring, including 14.2 points from junior guard Will Wilson, 12.2 from sophomore big man BJ Kolly and matching 10.8 performances by redshirt freshman guard Tijan Saine and senior forward Jonathan Ned. Junior forward Nic Welp paces the team averaging 7.0 rebounds per game. WWU is tops in the GNAC averaging 84.2 points per game and paces the league with a team .482 shooting percentage.
Following the action this weekend in the GNAC/PacWest Challenge in Seattle, the Vikings return to Bellingham to host Douglas College (New Westminster, B.C.) on Saturday, November 25 in a 1 pm game on WECU Court in Carver Gym. Western opens Great Northwest Athletic Conference play December 2 hosting Simon Fraser University in a 3 pm conference clash. The complete 2023-24 WWU men's basketball schedule can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/23-24_MBB.
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THIS WEEK IN WWU MEN'S BASKETBALL
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Friday, November 17
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Live Coverage
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vs. CUI » 5:00 pm » Seattle, WA » Brougham Pavilion
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📊 LiveStats 🎥 Webcast
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Saturday, November 18
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Live Coverage
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vs. Azusa Pacific » 5:00 pm » Seattle, WA » Brougham Pavilion
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📊 LiveStats 🎥 Webcast
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WECU COURT HOMESTAND COMING UP
Following the Vikings short trip down I-5 to Seattle this weekend, the Vikings will settle into a stretch of six consecutive home games on WECU Court in Carver Gym. From November 25-January 20, WWU will play eight of 10 games inside Carver Gym.
Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2023-24 season:
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RECORD BREAKDOWN
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Overall
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4-2
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GNAC
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0-0
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Non-Conference
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4-2
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Streak
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L1
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Home
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0-1
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Away
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1-0
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Neutral
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3-1
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vs. Ranked Teams
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0-0
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Leading at Half
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4-0
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Trailing at Half
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0-2
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Tied at Half
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0-0
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Overtime
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0-0
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BY UNIFORM
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White
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3-1
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Black
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0-0
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Navy
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1-1
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Light Blue
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0-0
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DOMINGUEZ RECORDS CAREER WIN NO. 200
WWU head coach Tony Dominguez recorded his 200th career head coaching victory at the helm of the Vikings with the 81-58 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on November 10 in Arcata, California. Dominguez is 201-105 in his 11 seasons (12 years) since taking over in 2012-13, a .657 winning percentage. He has been associated with WWU Basketball for nearly the last 30 seasons.
Here is a look at the series history between WWU and its opponents this week:
- CUI: Vikings are 3-0 all-time vs. the Golden Eagles, including 92-78 victory last season in Azusa…all three meetings in the series have come in the GNAC/PacWest Challenge.
- Azusa Pacific: Fourth consecutive full season to play APU in the GNAC/PacWest Challenge…Vikings are 2-3 all-time vs. the Cougars, including 86-72 loss last year on the road…defeated APU 83-63 in Carver Gym in previous meeting.
Here is a game-by-game look at the 2023-24 season heading into this week's games in Seattle at the GNAC/PacWest Challenge with games played on the Seattle Pacific University campus inside Royal Brougham Pavilion:
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Record: 4-2 GNAC: 0-0 Home: 0-1 Away: 1-0 Neutral: 3-1
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Date
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Opponent
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Score
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Top Scorer
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Top Rebounder
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11/3
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vs. Daemen (Langley, BC)
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W
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83-72
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Kolly (20)
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Kolly/Wilson (6)
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11/4
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vs. St. Edward's (Langley, BC)
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W
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97-93
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Johnson (22)
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Welp (12)
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11/5
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vs. Hawai'i Hilo (Langley, BC)
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L
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93-82
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Wilson (23)
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Welp/Morrow (7)
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11/10
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vs. Cal St. Dom. Hills (Arcata, CA)
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W
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81-58
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Johnson (22)
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Johnson (9)
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11/11
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@Cal Poly Humboldt (Arcata, CA)
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W
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95-69
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Johnson (27)
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Welp (6)
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11/14
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Hawai'i Pacific
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L
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83-67
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Johnson (23)
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Ned/Wilson (6)
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11/17
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vs. Concordia Irvine (Seattle, WA)
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5:00 pm
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11/18
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vs. Azusa Pacific (Seattle, WA)
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5:00 pm
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11/25
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Douglas College
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1:00 pm
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12/2
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Simon Fraser GNAC
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3:00 pm
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12/9
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Langara College
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3:00 pm
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12/17
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George Fox
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3:00 pm
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1/4
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Western Oregon GNAC
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7:00 pm
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1/6
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Saint Martin's GNAC
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7:00 pm
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1/11
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@MSU Billings GNAC
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5:15 pm MT
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1/13
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@Seattle Pacific GNAC
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4:15 pm
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1/18
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Alaska Anchorage GNAC
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7:00 pm
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1/20
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Alaska Fairbanks GNAC
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7:00 pm
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1/25
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@Central Washington GNAC
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7:00 pm
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1/27
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@Norrthwest Nazarene GNAC
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3:30 pm MT
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2/1
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@Saint Martin's GNAC
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7:00 pm
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2/3
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@Western Oregon GNAC
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2:00 pm
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2/8
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Seattle Pacific GNAC
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7:00 pm
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2/10
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MSU Billings GNAC
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7:00 pm
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2/15
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@Alaska Fairbanks GNAC
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7:30 pm AKT
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2/17
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@Alaska Anchorage GNAC
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5:15 pm AKT
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2/22
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Northwest Nazarene GNAC
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7:00 pm
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2/24
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Central Washington GNAC
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7:00 pm
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3/2
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@Simon Fraser GNAC
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7:30 pm
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GNAC Basketball Championships – March 7-9 in Ellensburg, WA (Nicholson Pavilion)
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Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his 12th season at the helm of the program, and 29th overall at WWU. Dominguez has led the Vikings to a 201-105 record (.657) and was the 2016-17 GNAC Coach of the Year. He is assisted by AJ Albritton (3rd season), Bob Hofstetter(11th season) and Atiavo Jude (11th season).
2023-24 GNAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Here is a look at the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll leading into the 2023-24 season with the Vikings listed 4th in a vote of the conference's 10 head coaches:
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2023-24 GNAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
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Rk
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Team (1st Place Votes)
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2022-23
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GNAC (Place)
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Pts.
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1.
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Saint Martin's (9)
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24-7
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15-3 (1st)
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98
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2.
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Northwest Nazarene (1)
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15-15
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9-9 (T3rd)
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85
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3.
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Central Washington
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15-15
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9-9 (T3rd)
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72
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4.
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Western Washington
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15-13
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8-10 (7th)
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66
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5.
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Montana State Billings
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20-10
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14-4 (2nd)
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52
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Seattle Pacific
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17-11
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12-6 (3rd)
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52
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7.
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Alaska Anchorage
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13-14
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7-11 (9th)
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40
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8.
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Western Oregon
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12-14
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9-9 (T3rd)
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36
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9.
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Alaska Fairbanks
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11-15
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6-12 (8th)
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31
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10.
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Simon Fraser
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6-22
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1-17 (10th)
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18
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Votes awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis
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Fans wishing to purchase season tickets for the 2023-24 season can call the WWU Box Office at (360) 650-BLUE (2583) to reserve their seats for the upcoming season. The complete season schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/MBB.
One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, WWU has recorded a 20-win season in eight of the last 12 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 five years (and seven of 10) and won the 2020 GNAC Championships Tournament. WWU is amongst the top 15 winningest Division II programs with its 1,547 all-time victories. Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his 11th season and 12th year as the Vikings head coach (29th overall at WWU) and is listed in the top 20 amongst active NCAA Division II head coaches with a .657 winning percentage (201-105).
