ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team battled back from a 12-point second-half deficit to force overtime, but fell short of completing the comeback in an 86-81 loss to in-state rival Central Washington University Saturday night in Nicholson Pavilion.
Playing in their second consecutive overtime game after defeating Northwest Nazarene 96-91 Thursday night, the Vikings set a program record playing in their fifth overtime game this season. The five-point loss marked WWU's eighth loss this season by five-or-fewer points. WWU played four overtime games during the 1971-72 season.
WWU dropped to 14-13 overall and slipped to seventh place in the GNAC standings at 7-10 in league play. The Vikings have one regular-season game remaining next Saturday hosting Simon Fraser in Caver Gym, with the top six teams in the standings advancing to the postseason GNAC Championships held March 2-4 in Bellingham. CWU jumped to sixth in the conference standings at 7-9 in the GNAC and 11-14 overall.
The Vikings trailed by 12 points with 12:03 remaining in the second half, but used a 9-0 run to climb back into the game, eventually pulling even on a BJ Kolly free throw with 16 seconds on the clock. Kolly had a chance to put the Vikings ahead at the free throw line after drawing a foul on the final possession of regulation, but missed the first free throw before tying the game setting up overtime.
Kolly converted a layup on the first possession of overtime to give the Vikings its first lead since the opening basket of the game and D'Angelo Minnis hit a three-pointer at the 2:39 mark in the extra period to give the Vikings an 81-79 lead. CWU held WWU scoreless the remainder of the way, going on a 7-0 run to close out the game for the 86-81 victory.
Sophomore guard Kai Johnson scored a career-high 26 points to lead four Vikings in double-digits, with Kolly adding 16 points and eight rebounds. Minnis contributed 14 points and three assists and Daniel Hornbuckle added 11 points. Sophomore forward Nic Welp recorded a game-high 10 rebounds.
After going 17-for-30 (.567) from three-point range Thursday at NNU, the Vikings had a tough night from beyond the arc going 5-for-27 (.185).
CWU was led by a game-high 27 points from Camron McNeil on 11-for-18 shooting and Matt Poquette added 23 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats. Central shot 50.7-percent for the game (34-for-67) and was 6-for-14 (.429) from three-point range.
Gallery: (2-18-2023) MBB | CWU 86, WWU 81 (OT)
The Vikings (14-13, 7-10 GNAC) closes out the regular season next Saturday with Senior Night on Saturday, February 25 hosting Simon Fraser at 7 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym. The field for the GNAC Championships (top six teams) will be announced late Saturday night after all games are completed. 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 Central Washington:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
CWU
|
|
Points
|
81
|
86
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.458 (33-72)
|
.507 (34-67)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.185 (5-27)
|
.429 (6-14)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.833 (10-12)
|
.857 (12-14)
|
|
Rebounds
|
35
|
39
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
14
|
13
|
|
Assists
|
8
|
18
|
|
Turnovers
|
12
|
13
|
|
Steals
|
8
|
4
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
4
|
3
|
|
Time Led
|
1:40
|
40:52
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
13
|
12
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
44
|
44
|
|
Bench Points
|
11
|
15
|
|
Fouls
|
14
|
19
|
|
Biggest Lead
|
2
|
12
|
|
Lead Changes: 7 Times Tied: 4
|
Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2022-23 season:
|
RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall
|
14-13
|
|
GNAC
|
7-10
|
|
Non-Conference
|
7-3
|
|
Streak
|
L1
|
|
Home
|
4-6
|
|
Away
|
6-5
|
|
Neutral
|
4-2
|
|
vs. Ranked Teams
|
0-1
|
|
Leading at Half
|
10-2
|
|
Trailing at Half
|
3-10
|
|
Tied at Half
|
1-1
|
|
Overtime
|
3-2
|
|
BY UNIFORM
|
|
White
|
6-7
|
|
Black
|
6-3
|
|
Navy
|
2-3
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-0
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. CENTRAL WASHINGTON
The Vikings dropped both games to CWU this season, losing at home 84-82 on January 19 in Carver Gym…first regular-season series sweep by CWU over WWU since the 2007-08 season…Saturday marked the 265th meeting between the in-state rivals dating back to the first meeting in 1908…CWU leads the all-time series 159-106, with WWU holding a 26-12 lead since the 2004-05 season.
Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings, complete with Saturday's results:
|
MEN'S BASKETBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Saint Martin's*
|
14-2
|
.875
|
22-4
|
.846
|
12-1
|
8-2
|
2-1
|
Won 9
|
|
2.
|
Montana State Billings*
|
13-3
|
.813
|
19-7
|
.731
|
7-2
|
9-4
|
3-1
|
Lost 2
|
|
3.
|
Seattle Pacific*
|
10-6
|
.625
|
15-10
|
.600
|
9-2
|
4-7
|
2-1
|
Won 1
|
|
4.
|
Northwest Nazarene*
|
9-7
|
.563
|
12-12
|
.500
|
7-8
|
5-4
|
0-0
|
Won 1
|
|
5.
|
Western Oregon
|
8-8
|
.500
|
11-12
|
.478
|
5-6
|
5-5
|
1-1
|
Won 1
|
|
6.
|
Central Washington
|
7-9
|
.438
|
11-14
|
.440
|
7-5
|
4-5
|
0-4
|
Won 2
|
|
7.
|
Western Washington
|
7-10
|
.412
|
14-13
|
.519
|
4-6
|
6-5
|
4-2
|
Lost 1
|
|
8.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
6-10
|
.375
|
12-13
|
.480
|
7-6
|
3-6
|
2-1
|
Lost 2
|
|
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
6-10
|
.375
|
11-13
|
.458
|
8-5
|
2-8
|
1-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
10.
|
Simon Fraser
|
1-16
|
.059
|
6-21
|
.222
|
3-10
|
1-10
|
2-1
|
Lost 11
|
|
* Clinched GNAC Championships berth (top six teams)
|
|
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 83, at Alaska Fairbanks 61
at Central Washington 86, Western Washington 81 (OT)
Seattle Pacific 72, at Montana State Billings 70
at Northwest Nazarene 65, Simon Fraser 60
Western Oregon 74, at Alaska Anchorage 69
|
Here is a game-by-game look at the 2022-23 season following overtime loss at CWU:
|
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)
|
L
|
86-81 (ot)
|
Johnson (26)
|
Welp (10)
|
|
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).
