BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 13 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team continued its winning ways recording a 72-55 victory over the University of Alaska Fairbanks Thursday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym.

The Vikings extended their winning streak to eight consecutive games with the 17-point victory, remaining perfect at 11-0 in home games this season. WWU has recorded a win in its last 15 games in Carver Gym dating back to last season.

Western opened the second half of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference season with the victory over UAF to remain in a first-place tie with Montana State Billings at 9-1 in league play. The Vikings inched towards the 20-win mark at 17-3 overall. 

Junior guard Riley Dykstra was 5-for-7 from three-point range to fuel her game-high 19-point performance and senior All-American Brooke Walling tallied her conference-leading 10th double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Mason Oberg continued her torrid shooting stretch from beyond the arc with four three-pointers to finish with 15 points.

The Vikings shot 45.6-percent overall (26-for-57) and were 11-for-26 (.423) from three-point range. WWU never trailed in the game opening the contest on a 10-0 run and built its biggest lead at 22 points. The Viking defense limited UAF to 55 points marking the 12th time this season to hold an opponent at or below 60 points in a game.

UAF (4-16, 2-8 GNAC) had its brief two-game winning streak snapped after recording wins over Saint Martin's and Western Oregon at home last weekend. Emma McKenney led the Nanooks with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting and Destiny Reimers had 10 points and six rebounds. Ellen Silva neared a double-double with eight points and 11 rebounds. 
 

Junior guard Riley Dykstra was selected as the WECU Player of the Game after scoring a game-high 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Dykstra connected on 5-of-7 three-point shots and also grabbed six rebounds.

The Vikings (17-3, 9-1 GNAC) conclude their four-game homestand Saturday hosting Alaska Anchorage in a 7 pm game on WECU Court in Carver Gym. The game vs. the Seawolves will be the annual Pink Game raising awareness for Breast Cancer Research. The complete season schedule, complete with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/WBB.

The Vikings extended their winning streak to eight consecutive games with the 17-point win over Alaska Fairbanks, a string of wins that dates back to an 86-45 win at UAF on January 6. WWU is now two wins short of recording its 27th double-digit winning streak in program history.

The Vikings are perfect at home this season in Carver Gym, sporting an 11-0 record on WECU Court. WWU has won 43 of its last 47 games on WECU Court combining to go 43-4 since the 2019-20 season and have an active 15-game home winning streak in Carver Gym.

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2023-24 season:

The Vikings recorded the season sweep over the Nanooks, also winning 86-45 in Fairbanks on January 6. Western leads the all-time series 58-5 with a current 28-game winning streak dating back to the 2008-09 season. The Vikings improved to 28-0 all-time vs. UAF in home games.

Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Alaska Fairbanks:

Here is an updated look at the 2023-24 GNAC Women's Basketball standings following Thursday's games to open the second half of the conference schedule. WWU remains in a first-place tie in the standings with Montana State Billings.

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2023-24 season following the 17-point victory over UAF:

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in 10 of the last 14 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 684, 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 (last in 2022) and played in the 2022 national championship game. The program has 1,116 all-time wins in the 53-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.