BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team continued its winning ways with its fourth consecutive victory defeating Langara College 124-70 Saturday afternoon in non-conference play on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The Vikings improved to 8-3 overall winning their fourth consecutive game by shooting 58.6-percent from the field (51-for-87) and spreading the wealth with six players tallying double-digits in scoring for the 54-point victory.
Junior forward Nic Welp recorded a 20-point, 15-rebound double-double on 8-for-10 shooting (3-for-4 3FG) and junior guard Will Wilson led all players with 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting.
Junior guard Kai Johnson continued his streak of scoring in double-digits in all 11 games with 16 points and seven assists and senior guard/forward Darius Gary was one off his single-game career-high with 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Senior forward Isaac Morrow neared a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds and redshirt junior forward Liam Clark had a trio of thunderous dunks while scoring 11 points. Redshirt freshman Louis Grante-Halliday contributed a solid performance with 15 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals.
Langara (Vancouver, BC) was led by 17 points from Kadyn Brown (7-for-13 FG) and Bobby Mabeny had 16 points on 6-for-18 shooting.
Western won the rebound battle in convincing fashion 55-19 (+36) and recorded a season-high 31 assists.
The Vikings (8-3) close out the non-conference and 2023 portion of their schedule on Sunday, December 17 hosting George Fox University at 3 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym. WWU returns to GNAC play in the new year hosting Western Oregon (Jan. 4) and Saint Martin's (Jan. 6) in 7 pm contests. The complete season schedule, complete with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/MBB.
The WECU Player of the Game goes to junior forward Nic Welp, who totaled a 20-point, 15-rebound double-double while going 8-for-10 from the field. In addition to patrolling the paint, Welp was 3-for-4 from three-point range and also dished out three assists, had one steal and blocked one shot.
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Langara:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
LAN
|
|
Points
|
124
|
70
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.586 (51-87)
|
.406 (28-69)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.424 (14-33)
|
.333 (8-24)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.727 (8-11)
|
.857 (6-7)
|
|
Rebounds
|
55
|
19
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
22
|
7
|
|
Assists
|
31
|
21
|
|
Turnovers
|
11
|
15
|
|
Steals
|
10
|
5
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
5
|
3
|
|
Time Led
|
38:16
|
00:19
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
23
|
6
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
70
|
26
|
|
Bench Points
|
53
|
24
|
|
Fouls
|
12
|
8
|
|
Biggest Lead
|
56
|
3
|
|
Lead Changes: 1 Times Tied: 2
|
Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2023-24 season:
|
RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall
|
8-3
|
|
GNAC
|
1-0
|
|
Non-Conference
|
7-3
|
|
Streak
|
W4
|
|
Home
|
3-1
|
|
Away
|
1-0
|
|
Neutral
|
4-2
|
|
vs. Ranked Teams
|
0-0
|
|
Leading at Half
|
8-0
|
|
Trailing at Half
|
0-3
|
|
Tied at Half
|
0-0
|
|
Overtime
|
0-0
|
|
BY UNIFORM
|
|
White
|
6-2
|
|
Black
|
2-0
|
|
Navy
|
0-1
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-0
|
Here is a game-by-game look at the 2023-24 season following Saturday's 124-70 victory over Langara:
|
Record: 8-3 GNAC: 1-0 Home: 3-1 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
|
W
|
96-74
|
Johnson (20)
|
Grante-Halliday (8)
|
|
12/9
|
Langara College
|
W
|
124-70
|
Wilson (21)
|
Welp (15)
|
|
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 1,551 all-time victories.
