NAMPA, Idaho – The Western Washington University men's basketball team erased a seven-point deficit over the last minute in regulation and went on for a 96-91 overtime victory on the road over Northwest Nazarene Thursday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
The Vikings moved into sixth place in the GNAC standings at 7-9 in league play and 14-12 overall with the five-point victory. NNU dropped to 11-12 overall and remained in 4th place in the GNAC standings at 8-7.
Junior guard D'Angelo Minnis hit a deep step-back three-pointer near the end of regulation to help send the game into overtime, and the Vikings completed the comeback out-scoring NNU 13-8 in the extra period.
Trailing 79-72 with just under a minute remaining, the Vikings scored 11 quick points on a jump shot by Daniel Hornbuckle, three-pointer by Jonathan Ned and a pair of triples from Minnis. NNU had a shot for the win on the final possession, but the Vikings defense stiffened to send the game into overtime.
Hornbuckle scored seven of his career-high 26 points in the overtime period, including a clutch three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining to help the Vikings pull away from a 90-89 lead.
WWU's guard trip of Hornbuckle (26 points), Minnis (23 points) and Kai Johnson (23 points) combined for 72 of the Vikings 96 points. Ned added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
The Vikings combined to shoot 17-for-30 (.567) from three-point range and were 19-for-22 (.864) from the free throw line.
The Nighthawks led by as many as nine points late in the second half, but couldn't hold on to the lead falling to the Vikings for the second time this season. Gabriel Murphy led NNU with 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting and younger brother Aaron Murphy recorded a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double.
With the victory, WWU moved into sixth place in the GNAC standings, closing in on one of the six playoff spots for the postseason GNAC Championships that will be held March 2-4 in Bellingham. Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Fairbanks and Central Washington are all tied for 7th place at 6-9.
The Vikings (14-12, 7-9 GNAC) remain on the road taking on in-state rival Central Washington on Saturday in Ellensburg with top-off scheduled for 6 pm in Nicholson Pavilion. The complete 2022-23 WWU men's basketball schedule – complete with links on how to purchase tickets for home games and links to follow the team on the road – can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/22-23_MBB.
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Northwest Nazarene:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
NNU
|
|
Points
|
96
|
91
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.462 (30-65)
|
.493 (34-69)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.567 (17-30)
|
.385 (5-13)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.864 (19-22)
|
.563 (18-32)
|
|
Rebounds
|
36
|
41
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
10
|
15
|
|
Assists
|
13
|
9
|
|
Turnovers
|
13
|
8
|
|
Steals
|
3
|
5
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
3
|
6
|
|
Time Led
|
30:41
|
11:45
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
10
|
10
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
20
|
48
|
|
Bench Points
|
17
|
15
|
|
Fouls
|
24
|
20
|
|
Biggest Lead
|
8
|
9
|
|
Lead Changes: 6 Times Tied: 5
|
Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2022-23 season:
|
RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall
|
14-12
|
|
GNAC
|
7-9
|
|
Non-Conference
|
7-3
|
|
Streak
|
W1
|
|
Home
|
4-6
|
|
Away
|
6-4
|
|
Neutral
|
4-2
|
|
vs. Ranked Teams
|
0-1
|
|
Leading at Half
|
10-2
|
|
Trailing at Half
|
3-9
|
|
Tied at Half
|
1-1
|
|
Overtime
|
3-1
|
|
BY UNIFORM
|
|
White
|
6-7
|
|
Black
|
6-2
|
|
Navy
|
2-3
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-0
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. NORTHWEST NAZARENE
WWU swept the regular-season series vs. NNU, also winning 78-60 on January 21 in Carver Gym. The Vikings lead the all-time series 36-12 with a 17-4 advantage in the last 21 meetings. Western is 14-8 all-time in games played on the road at NNU, with Thursday's win snapping a two-game losing streak in the Johnson Sports Center.
Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings, complete with Thursday's results:
|
MEN'S BASKETBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Saint Martin's*
|
13-2
|
.867
|
21-4
|
.840
|
12-1
|
7-2
|
2-1
|
Won 8
|
|
2.
|
Montana State Billings*
|
13-2
|
.867
|
19-6
|
.760
|
7-1
|
9-4
|
3-1
|
Lost 1
|
|
3.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
9-6
|
.600
|
14-10
|
.583
|
9-2
|
3-7
|
2-1
|
Lost 2
|
|
4.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
8-7
|
.533
|
11-12
|
.478
|
6-8
|
5-4
|
0-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
5.
|
Western Oregon
|
7-8
|
.467
|
10-12
|
.455
|
5-6
|
4-5
|
1-1
|
Lost 1
|
|
6.
|
Western Washington
|
7-9
|
.438
|
14-12
|
.538
|
4-6
|
6-4
|
4-2
|
Won 1
|
|
7.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
6-9
|
.400
|
12-12
|
.500
|
7-5
|
3-6
|
2-1
|
Lost 1
|
|
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
6-9
|
.400
|
11-12
|
.478
|
8-4
|
2-8
|
1-0
|
Won 2
|
|
|
Central Washington
|
6-9
|
.400
|
10-14
|
.417
|
6-5
|
4-5
|
0-4
|
Won 1
|
|
10.
|
Simon Fraser
|
1-15
|
.063
|
6-20
|
.231
|
3-10
|
1-9
|
2-1
|
Lost 10
|
|
* Clinched GNAC Championships berth
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Thursday, February 16
Saint Martin's 82, at Alaska Anchorage 73
at Central Washington 77, Simon Fraser 75
Western Washington 96, at Northwest Nazarene 91 (OT)
at Alaska Fairbanks 61, Western Oregon 58
Saturday, February 18
Saint Martin's at Alaska Fairbanks, 3:15 pm AKT
Western Washington at Central Washington, 6:00 pm
Seattle Pacific at Montana State Billings, 7:00 pm MT
Simon Fraser at Northwest Nazarene, 7:30 pm MT
Western Oregon at Alaska Anchorage, 7:30 pm AKT
|
The Vikings went 17-for-30 from three-point range in Thursday's overtime win at NNU. WWU is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the nation this season, averaging 10.4 made three-pointers a game. The Vikings 271 made three-pointers this season moved into fourth place in program history and the 704 three-pointers attempted are third-most.
|
WWU TEAM 3-POINT TOP 10
|
|
3FG Made
|
|
3FG Attempted
|
|
1.
|
290
|
2018-19
|
1.
|
813
|
2018-19
|
|
2.
|
282
|
2016-17
|
2.
|
743
|
2015-16
|
|
3.
|
275
|
2005-06
|
3.
|
704
|
2022-23
|
|
4.
|
271
|
2022-23
|
4.
|
703
|
2016-17
|
|
5.
|
268
|
2015-16
|
5.
|
691
|
2019-20
|
|
6.
|
258
|
2004-05
|
6.
|
660
|
2011-12
|
|
7.
|
253
|
2011-12
|
7.
|
647
|
2005-06
|
|
8.
|
243
|
2019-20
|
8.
|
646
|
1997-98
|
|
9.
|
241
|
2003-04
|
9.
|
641
|
2014-15
|
|
10.
|
235
|
2012-13
|
10.
|
637
|
2004-05
|
Here is a game-by-game look at the 2022-23 season following 96-91 OT win at Northwest Nazarene:
|
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)
|
L
|
90-73
|
Kolly (24)
|
3 Players (6)
|
|
1/12
|
at Alaska Anchorage (GNAC)
|
W
|
79-74
|
Kolly (14)
|
Johnson (8)
|
|
1/14
|
at Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
L
|
75-73
|
Johnson (18)
|
Kolly (9)
|
|
1/19
|
Central Washington (GNAC)
|
L
|
84-82
|
Kolly (18)
|
Holden (8)
|
|
1/21
|
Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
W
|
78-60
|
Minnis (20)
|
Kolly (11)
|
|
1/26
|
Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
L
|
75-71
|
Kolly/Hornbuckle (16)
|
Kolly (10)
|
|
1/28
|
Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
L
|
72-70
|
Ned/Hornbuckle (15)
|
Kolly (8)
|
|
2/2
|
at Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
W
|
72-67
|
Minnis (21)
|
Johnson (10)
|
|
2/4
|
at Montana State Billings (GNAC)
|
L
|
80-75
|
Minnis (20)
|
3 Players (8)
|
|
2/9
|
Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
W
|
87-80
|
Hornbuckle (19)
|
Johnson/Kolly (9)
|
|
2/11
|
Alaska Anchorage (GNAC)
|
L
|
89-79
|
Mayes (15)
|
Mayes (6)
|
|
2/16
|
at Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
W
|
96-91 (ot)
|
Hornbuckle (26)
|
Ned (8)
|
|
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 1,542 all-time victories. Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his 10th season and 11th year as the Vikings head coach (28th overall at WWU).
