SEATTLE, Wash. – The No. 13th nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team completed a season sweep over Seattle Pacific with a 66-55 victory inside Brougham Pavilion Saturday in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

The 11-point victory, their 12th in a row over the Falcons, gave the Vikings their 21st win on the season and moved them to 14-3 in conference play. The Vikings have clinched a top-two seed and bye in the opening round of the GNAC Conference tournament held March 7-9 in Ellensburg.

After a back-and-forth start to the contest, the Vikings used a mid-first quarter 11-2 run to grab a 19-12 lead. The Vikings shot 46.7-percent in the opening 10 minutes including going 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. Western's trademark defense then took the game over in the second quarter, holding SPU to just one basket in the first eight minutes of play as the Vikings grew their lead to 33-17. The Falcons would close the quarter on a 9-2 run however, making a 35-26 game at the break.

Western held a comfortable lead until a 9-2 run by the Falcons pulled them within six points at 56-50 with 4:38 left to play in the game. Senior All-American forward Brooke Walling immediately answered with a three-point play and sophomore guard Mason Oberg scored the Vikings final seven points of the game to wrap up the 11-point victory.

Oberg put up a game-high 19 points while shooting 5-for-6 from beyond the arc and went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Walling ended with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists and junior guard Olivia Wikstrom was a heavy contributor with six points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Stephanie Peterson led the Vikings in both rebounds (11) and assists (5).

WWU combined to shoot 46.3-percent from the field (25-for-54) and was 7-for-15 (46.7%) from beyond the arc. 

Seattle Pacific (10-16, 7-9 GNAC) was led by 16 points and 7 rebounds by forward Olivia Mayer. Lolo Weatherspoon (11), Hailey Marlow (10), and Schuyler Berry (10) also finished with double-digit for the Falcons.

The Vikings (21-5, 14-3 GNAC) has one game remaining in the 2023-24 regular season crossing the border next Saturday to face Simon Fraser University at 5:15 pm in Burnaby. The bracket for the GNAC Championships held March 7-9 in Ellensburg will be announced Saturday night following the completion of the regular season. The complete season schedule, complete with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/WBB.

Sophomore guard Mason Oberg was selected as the WECU Player of the Game after scoring a game-high 19 points on 5-for-6 shooting from three-point range and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Oberg also grabbed four rebounds and had one assist in 30 minutes of action.

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

WWU recorded another season sweep over SPU, also winning 73-61 at home on January 25. Saturday's 11-point victory extended the Vikings winning streak to 12 consecutive games over the Falcons, which includes five straight inside Royal Brougham Pavilion. Western now leads the all-time series over SPU 73-33.

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

Here is an updated look at the 2023-24 GNAC Women's Basketball standings following play on Saturday. WWU remains in 2nd place at 14-3 in league play with one GNAC game remaining. The top six teams in the standings following the regular season will qualify for the GNAC Championships held March 7-9 in Ellensburg. 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, and also clinched a first round bye with the team guaranteed one of the top two seeds for the 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). 

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2023-24 season following the 11-point victory at SPU:

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 688, 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 1,120 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.