BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's basketball team was defeated by No. 20 nationally-ranked Alaska Anchorage 72-40 Thursday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym.

UAA recorded a stingy defensive effort against the Vikings to record the 32-point victory to remain in first place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 12-1 (21-3 overall). The Seawolves forced 20 WWU turnovers (leading to 25 points), recorded 14 steals and blocked eight shots.

After a competitive first quarter, the Vikings were out-scored 22-1 in the second quarter to shift the momentum to the Seawolves. WWU battled back to with an even third quarter, but the deficit was too much to overcome in the 72-40 loss.

WWU dropped to 14-9 overall and remains in 4th place in the GNAC standings at 9-5. The Vikings have a chance to clinch a postseason spot in the GNAC Championships with a win Saturday against Alaska Fairbanks.

Junior guard Mason Oberg led the Vikings with 10 points and five assists and senior guard Maddy Grandbois contributed nine points, three rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. WWU was limited to a season-low field goal percentage of .259 (14-for-54).

UAA senior center Tori Hollingshead recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Emilia Long and Jazzpher Evans both had 14 points as the Seawolves shot 44.1-percent for the game (26-for-59) and were 7-for-12 from three-point range. Long, a Port Angeles native, added eight assists and three steal.  

Thursday was Women in Sport Night in Carver Gym with several WWU women's sports teams recognized throughout the night, including a special halftime recognition of the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship winning WWU Women's Rowing Team.

The Vikings (14-9, 9-5 GNAC) remain at home Saturday hosting Alaska Fairbanks for Mark Scholten Night, with tip-off at 7 pm. The complete season schedule, with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/WBB.

Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and No. 20 Alaska Anchorage:

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2024-25 season:

Alaska Anchorage swept the regular-season series vs. the Vikings for the second consecutive season, acing a 67-59 win in Anchorage on January 18 to Thursday's 72-40 victory. WWU leads the all-time series 36-32 with an 18-12 record in home games. Over the last 10 meetings WWU is 6-4 against UAA.

Here is a look at the 2024-25 GNAC Women's Basketball standings and overall records following Thursday's games. 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. Alaska Anchorage, Montana State Billings and Central Washington have all punched their ticket to the GNAC postseason tournament.

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2024-25 season following the home loss to UAA:

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in 11 of the last 14 full seasons, and 38 times in the 53-year history of the program. WWU has 24 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 705, winning percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 20 of 25 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 1,137 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.