BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team opened a stretch of six consecutive home games with a decisive 122-61 victory over Douglas College Saturday afternoon in non-conference play on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The Vikings improved to 6-3 overall while hitting the century mark in scoring for the second consecutive game with the 61-point margin of victory. WWU remains at home through early January continuing the homestand next Saturday opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Saturday, December 2 hosting Simon Fraser University.
Western's high-powered offense was led by 20-point scoring performances from junior guards Kai Johnson (24 points, 10-for-11 FG, 6 assists, 4 steals) and Will Wilson (20 points, 8-for-12 FG). Senior guard/forward Darius Gary added 14 points and junior forward Nic Welp and sophomore post player BJ Kolly each had 10 points.
The Vikings combined to shoot 61.3-percent in the game, connecting on 49 of their 80 attempts, and were 12-for-29 from three-point range (.414). WWU's 21 steals are third-most as a team during the NCAA era (since 1998-99) and the Vikings defense also recorded 10 blocked shots. Western shared the ball well with all 12 active players scoring and the team totaling 30 assists for the most in a game since also recording 30 last season vs. Maine Fort Kent.
Douglas (New Westminster, BC) was led by 21 points by Ekman Sohal and a 19-point effort from Andrei Verchez.
Gallery: (11-25-2023) MBB | WWU vs. Douglas College
The Vikings (6-3) continue a stretch of six consecutive home games next Saturday (Dec. 2) hosting Simon Fraser University in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Tip-off between the Vikings and Red Leafs is set for 3 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym, with the women's WWU vs. SFU game following at 7 pm. The complete season schedule, complete with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/MBB.
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Douglas:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
DOUGLAS
|
|
Points
|
122
|
61
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.613 (49-80)
|
.393 (24-61)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.414 (12-29)
|
.154 (2-13)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.800 (12-15)
|
.647 (11-17)
|
|
Rebounds
|
38
|
35
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
9
|
11
|
|
Assists
|
30
|
7
|
|
Turnovers
|
10
|
28
|
|
Steals
|
21
|
2
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
10
|
1
|
|
Time Led
|
38:29
|
0:00
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
45
|
9
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
68
|
34
|
|
Bench Points
|
50
|
5
|
|
Fouls
|
15
|
16
|
|
Biggest Lead
|
73
|
0
|
|
Lead Changes: 0 Times Tied: 1
|
Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2023-24 season:
|
RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall
|
6-3
|
|
GNAC
|
0-0
|
|
Non-Conference
|
6-3
|
|
Streak
|
W2
|
|
Home
|
1-1
|
|
Away
|
1-0
|
|
Neutral
|
4-2
|
|
vs. Ranked Teams
|
0-0
|
|
Leading at Half
|
6-0
|
|
Trailing at Half
|
0-3
|
|
Tied at Half
|
0-0
|
|
Overtime
|
0-0
|
|
BY UNIFORM
|
|
White
|
5-2
|
|
Black
|
1-0
|
|
Navy
|
0-1
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-0
|
Here is a game-by-game look at the 2023-24 season following Saturday's 122-61 win over Douglas:
|
Record: 6-3 GNAC: 0-0 Home: 1-1 Away: 1-0 Neutral: 4-2
|
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
|
Score
|
Top Scorer
|
Top Rebounder
|
|
11/3
|
vs. Daemen (Langley, BC)
|
W
|
83-72
|
Kolly (20)
|
Kolly/Wilson (6)
|
|
11/4
|
vs. St. Edward's (Langley, BC)
|
W
|
97-93
|
Johnson (22)
|
Welp (12)
|
|
11/5
|
vs. Hawai'i Hilo (Langley, BC)
|
L
|
93-82
|
Wilson (23)
|
Welp/Morrow (7)
|
|
11/10
|
vs. Cal St. Dom. Hills (Arcata, CA)
|
W
|
81-58
|
Johnson (22)
|
Johnson (9)
|
|
11/11
|
@Cal Poly Humboldt (Arcata, CA)
|
W
|
95-69
|
Johnson (27)
|
Welp (6)
|
|
11/14
|
Hawai'i Pacific
|
L
|
83-67
|
Johnson (23)
|
Ned/Wilson (6)
|
|
11/17
|
vs. Concordia Irvine (Seattle, WA)
|
L
|
92-86
|
Johnson (23
|
Ned/Kolly (5)
|
|
11/18
|
vs. Azusa Pacific (Seattle, WA)
|
W
|
100-90
|
Ned (20)
|
Tate (9)
|
|
11/25
|
Douglas College
|
W
|
122-61
|
Johnson (24)
|
Ned/Welp/Drammeh (6)
|
|
12/2
|
Simon Fraser GNAC
|
|
|
3:00 pm
|
|
|
12/9
|
Langara College
|
|
|
3:00 pm
|
|
|
12/17
|
George Fox
|
|
|
3:00 pm
|
|
|
1/4
|
Western Oregon GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/6
|
Saint Martin's GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/11
|
@MSU Billings GNAC
|
|
|
5:15 pm MT
|
|
|
1/13
|
@Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
|
|
4:15 pm
|
|
|
1/18
|
Alaska Anchorage GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/20
|
Alaska Fairbanks GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/25
|
@Central Washington GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
1/27
|
@Norrthwest Nazarene GNAC
|
|
|
3:30 pm MT
|
|
|
2/1
|
@Saint Martin's GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
2/3
|
@Western Oregon GNAC
|
|
|
2:00 pm
|
|
|
2/8
|
Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
2/10
|
MSU Billings GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
2/15
|
@Alaska Fairbanks GNAC
|
|
|
7:30 pm AKT
|
|
|
2/17
|
@Alaska Anchorage GNAC
|
|
|
5:15 pm AKT
|
|
|
2/22
|
Northwest Nazarene GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
2/24
|
Central Washington GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
|
3/2
|
@Simon Fraser GNAC
|
|
|
7:30 pm
|
|
|
GNAC Basketball Championships – March 7-9 in Ellensburg, WA (Nicholson Pavilion)
|
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 1,549 all-time victories.
