SEATTLE, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team ran into a hot-shooting Seattle Pacific University team in a 97-86 loss Thursday evening in GNAC play inside Royal Brougham Pavilion.
The Vikings dropped their third consecutive game sixth in the last eight games to drop to 8-7 overall and 0-5 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. SPU improved to 6-9 overall and 2-2 in conference play with its second consecutive victory.
SPU shot a scorching-hot 70.5-percent for the game, connecting on 31-of-44 shots, falling just short of the conference record for single-game shooting percentage of 73.0 by Western Oregon in 2008. The Falcons were also 11-for-16 from three-point range (68.8%).
Senior guard Will Wilson led the Vikings with 22 points on 7-for-16 shooting, with redshirt freshman guard Grant Kepley and sophomore guard Tijan Saine both contributing 21 points. Saine has scored 50 points over his last two games after scoring a career-high 29 points last week vs. Alaska Anchorage.
The Falcons featured four players scoring in double digits, led by 21 points by Mason Landdeck (6-for-9 FG). Owen Moriarty (19 points), Jaxon Nap (19 points) and Jonas La Tour (18 points) helped lift SPU to the 11-point victory.
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GNAC Basketball
|
1st
|
2nd
|
Final
|
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Western Washington (8-7, 0-5 GNAC)
|
37
|
49
|
86
|
|
Seattle Pacific (6-9, 2-2 GNAC)
|
46
|
51
|
97
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The Vikings (8-7, 0-5 GNAC) remain on the road traveling to play at Montana State Billings (11-6, 2-2 GNAC) Saturday in Billings at 4:15 pm MT/3:15 pm PT. The complete season schedule, complete with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/MBB.
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Seattle Pacific:
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COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
SPU
|
|
Points
|
86
|
97
|
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.478 (32-67)
|
.705 (31-44)
|
|
3 Point FG Pct.
|
.345 (10-29)
|
.688 (11-16)
|
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.706 (12-17)
|
.774 (24-31)
|
|
Rebounds
|
25
|
29
|
|
Offensive Rebounds
|
11
|
3
|
|
Assists
|
10
|
12
|
|
Turnovers
|
6
|
14
|
|
Steals
|
6
|
3
|
|
Blocked Shots
|
1
|
0
|
|
Time Led
|
2:31
|
35:50
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
7
|
11
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
38
|
36
|
|
Bench Points
|
11
|
36
|
|
Fouls
|
24
|
19
|
|
Biggest Lead
|
3
|
14
|
|
Lead Changes: 1 Times Tied: 2
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Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2024-25 season:
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RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall
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8-7
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|
GNAC
|
0-5
|
|
Non-Conference
|
8-2
|
|
Streak
|
L3
|
|
Home
|
5-3
|
|
Away
|
1-3
|
|
Neutral
|
2-1
|
|
vs. Ranked Teams
|
1-0
|
|
Leading at Half
|
6-3
|
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Trailing at Half
|
1-4
|
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Tied at Half
|
1-0
|
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Overtime
|
0-0
|
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BY UNIFORM
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|
White
|
5-3
|
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Black
|
0-0
|
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Navy
|
3-2
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-2
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SERIES HISTORY VS. SEATTLE PACIFIC
SPU leads the all-time series 91-59 with the series tied 4-4 in the last eight meetings. Thursday marked the 150th meeting between the two schools in series history.
Here is a look at the 2024-25 GNAC Men's Basketball standings and overall records through Thursday's action. Updated standings and conference statistics can be viewed online at GNACSports.com. The top six teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the GNAC Championships held March 6-8 in Lacey:
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
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CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
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NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
L10
|
|
1.
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Northwest Nazarene
|
4-0
|
1.000
|
11-1
|
.917
|
8-1
|
3-0
|
0-0
|
W8
|
9-1
|
|
|
Saint Martin's
|
4-0
|
1.000
|
15-2
|
.882
|
8-1
|
4-1
|
3-0
|
W7
|
8-2
|
|
3.
|
Central Washington
|
3-1
|
.750
|
9-5
|
.643
|
5-3
|
2-1
|
2-1
|
W1
|
7-3
|
|
4.
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Alaska Anchorage
|
3-2
|
.600
|
10-8
|
.556
|
6-3
|
2-2
|
2-3
|
L1
|
7-3
|
|
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
3-2
|
.600
|
7-7
|
.500
|
5-2
|
2-4
|
0-1
|
L1
|
6-4
|
|
6.
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Montana State Billings
|
2-2
|
.500
|
11-6
|
.647
|
5-3
|
5-2
|
1-1
|
L2
|
6-4
|
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
2-2
|
.500
|
6-9
|
.400
|
4-5
|
1-3
|
1-1
|
W2
|
5-5
|
|
8.
|
Simon Fraser
|
1-4
|
.200
|
5-10
|
.333
|
3-5
|
2-3
|
0-2
|
W1
|
5-5
|
|
9.
|
Western Oregon
|
0-4
|
.000
|
3-11
|
.214
|
2-2
|
0-4
|
1-5
|
L2
|
2-8
|
|
|
Western Washington
|
0-5
|
.000
|
8-7
|
.533
|
5-3
|
1-3
|
2-1
|
L3
|
4-6
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule & Results
|
|
Thursday, January 9:
Simon Fraser 82, at Montana State Billings 67
at Seattle Pacific 97, Western Washington 86
Northwest Nazarene 71, at Alaska Anchorage 63
Central Washington 93, at Alaska Fairbanks 74
Saturday, January 11:
Simon Fraser at Seattle Pacific, 2 pm
Western Washington at Montana State Billings, 4:15 pm MT
Saint Martin's at Western Oregon, 4:15 pm
Northwest Nazarene at Alaska Fairbanks, 3:15 pm AKT
Central Washington at Alaska Anchorage, 7 pm AKT
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Here is a game-by-game look at the 2024-25 season following the 11-point loss at Seattle Pacific:
|
Record: 8-7 GNAC: 0-5 Home: 5-3 Away: 1-3 Neutral: 2-1 Non-Conference: 8-2
|
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
|
Score
|
Top Scorer
|
Top Rebounder
|
|
West Region Crossover (Bellingham, WA
|
|
11/8
|
Cal State Dominguez Hills (#12)
|
W
|
91-89 OT
|
Wilson (23)
|
Kepley/Wilson (6)
|
|
11/9
|
Cal Poly Humboldt
|
W
|
78-75
|
Kepley (20)
|
Levesque/Grante-Halliday (7)
|
|
West Region Challenge (Azusa, CA)
|
|
11/15
|
vs. Cal State San Marcos
|
W
|
76-61
|
Grante-Halliday (17)
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Levesque/Lott (8)
|
|
11/16
|
@Azusa Pacific
|
W
|
88-82
|
Grante-Halliday (23)
|
Kepley (9)
|
|
Non-Conference Games
|
|
11/21
|
Westminster
|
L
|
63-66
|
Kepley (15)
|
Grante-Halliday (6)
|
|
11/23
|
Northwest
|
W
|
96-65
|
Grante-Halliday (23)
|
White (7)
|
|
11/26
|
Douglas College
|
W
|
119-65
|
Wilson (24)
|
Lott (9)
|
|
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
|
|
12/5
|
@Northwest Nazarene GNAC
|
L
|
74-75
|
Lott (25)
|
Levesque (6)
|
|
12/7
|
@Central Washington GNAC
|
L
|
76-79
|
Kepley (19)
|
Kepley/Grante-Halliday (8)
|
|
Non-Conference Game
|
|
12/15
|
Langara
|
W
|
92-56
|
Wilson/Kepley (15)
|
Wilson (10)
|
|
Las Vegas Hoops Holiday Classic (Las Vegas, NV)
|
|
12/19
|
vs. Lubbock Christian
|
L
|
63-75
|
Grante-Halliday (15)
|
Grante-Halliday (13)
|
|
12/20
|
vs. St. Mary's (TX)
|
W
|
70-68
|
Kepley (17)
|
White (7)
|
|
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
|
|
1/2
|
Alaska Fairbanks GNAC
|
L
|
73-88
|
Wilson (15)
|
Wilson (6)
|
|
1/4
|
Alaska Anchorage GNAC
|
L
|
67-71
|
Saine (29)
|
Rice (6)
|
|
1/9
|
@Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
L
|
86-97
|
Wilson (22)
|
Levesque (6)
|
|
1/11
|
@MSU Billings GNAC
|
|
|
4:15 PM MT
|
|
|
1/16
|
Saint Martin's GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
|
|
1/18
|
Western Oregon GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
|
|
1/25
|
@Simon Fraser GNAC
|
|
|
7:30 PM
|
|
|
1/30
|
@Alaska Anchorage GNAC
|
|
|
7:30 PM AKT
|
|
|
2/1
|
@Alaska Fairbanks GNAC
|
|
|
3:15 PM AKT
|
|
|
2/6
|
MSU Billings GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
|
|
2/8
|
Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
|
|
2/13
|
@Western Oregon GNAC
|
|
|
7:30 PM
|
|
|
2/15
|
@Saint Martin's GNAC
|
|
|
5:15 PM
|
|
|
2/22
|
Simon Fraser GNAC
|
|
|
3:00 PM
|
|
|
2/27
|
Central Washington GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
|
|
3/1
|
Northwest Nazarene GNAC
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
|
|
GNAC Basketball Championships – March 6-8 in Lacey, WA (Marcus Pavilion)
|
One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, WWU has recorded a 20-win season in eight of the last 13 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 six years (and seven of 11) and won the 2020 GNAC Championships Tournament. WWU is amongst the top 20 winningest Division II programs with its 1,568 all-time victories.
