BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Playing in front of an electric home crowd of nearly 1500 fans, the No. 1 seed Western Washington University women's basketball team overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat Montana State Billings 76-71 Saturday night to win the 2023 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament.

WWU became the first team – men's or women's – to win the GNAC tournament title on its home court in the 12-year history of the postseason event. The Vikings won the GNAC regular-season title with a 16-2 league record and went 2-0 in the tournament to clinch their third GNAC Tournament title and first since 2014.

The Vikings improved to 24-3 overall, earning the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II West Regional, with the official 64-team bracket announced Sunday evening at 7:30 pm on NCAA.com.

During the regular season, two of the Vikings losses came against MSUB, including a 66-64 overtime loss in Carver Gym on February 16. WWU looked to be headed for a third consecutive loss to the Yellowjackets before storming back by scoring 16 consecutive points spanning the end of the 3rd quarter and beginning of the final quarter. Western extended the run to 21-2 capped by a three-pointer from senior guard Avery Dykstra at the 6:55 mark to give the Vikings a 65-60 lead. Prior to the big run, the Vikings trailed MSUB by 14 points 58-44 with 2:48 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

Sophomore guard Maddy Grandbois sparked the run scoring 10 points with a pair of big three-pointers.

WWU trailed by as many as 17 points at 44-27 following back-to-back MSUB three-pointers with 1:02 remaining in the first half, but the Vikings scored five unanswered points by Brooke Walling to end the half cutting the deficit to 12 points, 44-32.

The Vikings out-scored MSUB 24-14 in the third quarter to trail by just two points 58-56 at the end of the quarter and took the lead on a jump shot by senior guard Mollie Olson at the 8:25 mark. From that point forward WWU never trailed, pulling ahead by as many as eight points to put the finishing touches on the conference trophy sweep in 2022-23.

Walling was named the GNAC Championships MVP following her 22-point, 8-rebound performance going 10-for-14 from the field. In the semifinal victory over Seattle Pacific Walling had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Avery Dykstra and Carley Zaragoza each contributed 12 points, with Grandbois and Katrina Gimmaka pouring in 10 apiece. WWU's consistent and balanced offensive effort showcased eight players scoring and three players with five-or-more assists. Senior guard Mollie Olson tallied seven assists and Zaragoza tied Walling for the team lead with eight boards.

The Vikings combined to shoot 55.6-percent from the field (30-for-54) and were 12-for-15 from the free throw line. WWU also held a decisive 35-23 edge in rebounding and 23-12 advantage in assists.

The game featured 10 lead changes and three tie scores, with WWU overcoming its biggest deficit in a win since coming back from a 19-point deficit in an 81-74 win over Northwest Missouri State on November 25, 2006 in the Lynda Goodrich Classic in Carver Gym. WWU also trailed by 16 points in the 2014 GNAC Championships Final against Simon Fraser before coming back to win 78-74.

MSUB (24-7) was led by 14 points from Aspen Giese on 4-for-8 shooting and 13 points by Shayla Montague. The Yellowjackets were 9-for-13 from three-point range in the first half, but were limited to 0-for-3 from beyond the arc in the second half.

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Junior forward Brooke Walling was selected as the GNAC Championships Most Outstanding Player averaging 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 72.2-percent from the field (13-for-18). Walling becomes the third Viking to earn the GNAC Championships MVP award joining Trishi Williams (2013) and Jenni White (2014).

WWU receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships and will find out its seed in the eight-team West Regional Sunday night during the NCAA Division II Selection Show that will air live on NCAA.com at 7:30 pm. The Vikings will be making their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships and 19th time in 24 possible seasons. WWU is the defending West Regional champion and made a magical postseason run last season all the way to the national title game in Birmingham, Alabama.

WWU won the 2023 GNAC Women's Basketball Championships with all games played on WECU Court in Carver Gym in Bellingham. This marked the second time WWU hosted the championships in the 12-year history of the event, and became the first home team – men or women – to win the title on its home court.

Quarterfinals (March 2)

No. 3 Central Washington 88, No. 6 Simon Fraser 62

No. 5 Seattle Pacific 69, No. 4 Alaska Anchorage 65

Semifinals (March 3)

No. 2 Montana State Billings 75, No. 3 Central Washington 62

No. 1 Western Washington 58, No. 5 Seattle Pacific 53

Championship Game (March 4)

No. 1 Western Washington 76, No. 2 Montana State Billings 71

Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and MSUB in the GNAC Championships Final:

WWU improved to 17-8 all-time in the GNAC Championships by winning its third conference tournament title, and first since back-to-back seasons in 2013 and 2014. WWU has advanced to play in the GNAC postseason tournament in 11 of 12 possible seasons and played in nine championship games. Carver Gym and WECU Court hosted the event for the second time, also welcoming 12 teams to campus in the 2018-19 season.

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2022-23 season:

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2022-23 season results and schedule. The complete 2022-23 WWU women's basketball schedule and season results to this point can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/22-23_WBB.

The Vikings are 24-3 overall, reaching the 20-win mark for the 37th time in the 52-year history of the program, and 23rd time in 32 seasons under head coach Carmen Dolfo.

Dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season, the Vikings have combined to go 77-18 (.811) with a 40-12 record in GNAC play (.769). WWU went 25-6 during the Elite 8 2021-22 season and are 24-3 so far during the 2022-23 season.

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in 10 of the last 13 full seasons, and 37 times in the 52-year history of the program. WWU has 23 seasons of 20 or more wins under head coach Carmen Dolfo, who is the winningest coach of any sport at WWU and ranks among Division II active and all-time coaching leaders in wins with 667 winning percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 19 of 24 possible seasons at the Division II level with three trips to the Elite Eight and played in the 2022 national championship game. The program has 1,099 all-time wins in the 52-year history of the program, and according to available records, is one of less than 20 women's college basketball team across all divisions and levels to reach the 1,000-victory milestone.