BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 16 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team celebrated seniors Brooke Walling and Stephanie Peterson with a convincing 85-63 victory over Saint Martin's University Saturday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym.

The 22-point Senior Night victory lifted the Vikings to a 20-4 overall record and 13-2 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play to remain alone in second place in the league standings. WWU won its third consecutive games and closed out the home portion of the regular-season schedule with a 12-1 record in Carver Gym.

Walling recorded her GNAC-leading 12th double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 7-for-11 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line.

Junior forward Aspen Garrison added 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting, junior guard Riley Dykstra finished with 13 points and Peterson had 12 points, three rebounds and a pair of steals. Sophomore guard Mason Oberg rounded out WWU's five players scoring in double-digits with 11 points.

WWU combined to shoot 50.9-percent from the field (29-for-57) and was 9-for-18 from beyond the arc. 

Saint Martin's (5-16, 3-11 GNAC) was led by 14 points by guard Anjel Galbraith (4-for-8 FG) and 10 points and four rebounds by Lauryn Morris.
 

The Vikings (20-4, 13-2 GNAC) begin a three-game road trip to close out the 2023-24 regular season next week traveling to play at Montana State Billings (Thursday, Feb. 22, 7 pm MT) and at Seattle Pacific (Saturday, Feb. 24, 4:15 pm). The complete season schedule, complete with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/WBB.

Senior Brooke Walling earned the WECU Player of the Game award notching her GNAC-leading 12th double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Walling was 7-for-11 shooting from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line. She also totaled three assists, one steal and one blocked shot in 31 minutes of action on her Senior Night.

The Vikings officially reached the 20-win mark with a 20-4 overall record this season, marking the 38th 20-win season in the 53-year history of the program and 24th in 33 seasons under head coach Carmen Dolfo.

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

WWU recorded the season sweep over Saint Martin's adding a 52-49 road win over the Saints on January 18 in Lacey to Saturday's 85-63 win in Carver Gym. The Vikings have a current eight-game winning streak over the Saints and have won 33 of the last 34 games in the series. Western leads the all-time series 58-3 with a perfect 31-0 mark in home games vs. the Saints.
 

Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Saint Martin's:

Here is an updated look at the 2023-24 GNAC Women's Basketball standings following Saturday's games, with the Vikings remaining alone in second place in the standings having clinched as spot in the GNAC Championships. Updated standings and conference statistics can be viewed online at GNACSports.com:

WWU has clinched one of the six spot sin the GNAC Championships that will be held March 7-9 inside Nicholson Pavilion in Ellensburg. WWU and MSUB are the first two teams to punch its ticket to the postseason conference tournament. Western is the defending champion of the event beating Montana State Billings 76-71 in the championship game in Carver Gym marking the first home team – men or women – to win the title on its home court in the 12-year history of the event. The Vikings are 17-8 all-time in the GNAC Championships with three titles, advancing to play in the postseason tournament in 11 of 12 possible seasons (nine championship games). 

The Vikings are hard to beat at home this season in Carver Gym, sporting an 12-1 record on WECU Court. WWU has won 44 of its last 49 games on WECU Court combining to go 44-5 since the 2019-20 season.

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2023-24 season following the 85-63 win over Saint Martin's:

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 687, 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 1,119 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.