BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team opens the postseason this week as the No. 4 seed in the GNAC Championships in Lacey.

 

WWU will look to strengthen their NCAA Tournament resume entering the postseason winning 11 of their final 13 conference games. After an 0-5 start to the GNAC slate, the Vikings turned their season around and enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the West Region.

 

The Vikings tied for 3rd in the GNAC standings with an 11-7 record (19-9 overall) and will be the No. 4 seed in the six-team tournament. WWU faces No. 5 Montana State Billings Thursday in the second quarterfinal at 2:15 pm in Lacey on the Saint Martin's University campus. The winner of the WWU/MSUB game advance to the semifinal round facing regular-season champion and No. 1 seed Central Washington on Friday at 2:15 pm.

 

After opening the conference slate with five consecutive losses, with three of the losses by a combined eight points, the Vikings rattled off 11 wins in the last 13 games to catapult up the standings and into the playoff position. WWU's two losses during the 13-game stretch (11-2) are by a combined four points, falling to SPU by one point and NNU by three points.

 

WWU will be making a return to the postseason GNAC Tournament for the first time since the 2021-22 season, narrowly missing out on tournament bids each of the last two seasons. The Vikings won the tournament in 2019-20 just prior to the global pandemic for their second title and own an 9-8 record in 10 trips to the GNAC Championships.

 

Sophomore guard Tijan Saine has been a key player for the Vikings during the second half of the GNAC schedule and has combined for 139 points over his last five games (27.8 points/game) to increase his season scoring average to a team-best 17.1 points per game (2nd in the GNAC).

 

The Vikings starting five is bolstered by senior guard Will Wilson averaging 15.8 points per game, scoring in double digits in 22 of 27 games to rank 7th in the GNAC in scoring average. Junior forward Garrett Levesque has been a key player in the Vikings turnaround averaging 8.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game since being inserted into the starting lineup on December 20.

 

Redshirt freshman Grant Kepley has filled up the stat sheet averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game, but unfortunately suffered a broken right hand in the second-to-last game of the season and is out for the postseason. Freshman forward Trevor White has also bolstered the lineup starting the last 10 games and is averaging 10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots per game.

 

WWU enters the GNAC Championships as the top scoring team in the conference averaging 82.3 points per game, including 84.5 points per game during the second half (9 games) of the GNAC slate. The Vikings also rank 2nd in the conference with a 48.2 team field goal percentage (824-for-1708), 4th shooting 36.1-percent from beyond the arc (223-for-618) and 3rd at 78.6-percent from the free throw line (434-for-552).

 

**Updated player notes will be sent out Wednesday following announcement of GNAC awards**

 

 

The Vikings (19-9, 11-7 GNAC) open the postseason Thursday as the No. 4 seed in the GNAC Men's Basketball Championships. The tournament will be played in Marcus Pavilion on the Saint Martin's University campus in Lacey. 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 GNAC Championships schedule with the Vikings playing Thursday's second quarterfinal as the No. 4 seed taking on No. 5 Montana State Billings. All games during the GNAC Championships will stream live and free online on YouTube at GNAC.tv with Shawn Walli and Dustin Daniel on the call. The winner of the tournament receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA II West Regional Championships.

 

2025 GNAC Men's Basketball Championships

March 6-8 | Lacey, Wash. | Saint Martin's University | Marcus Pavilion

 

Thursday, March 6, 2025

12:00 pm – No. 6 seed Alaska Fairbanks vs. No. 3 seed Seattle Pacific

2:15 pm – No. 5 seed Montana State Billings vs. No. 4 seed Western Washington

 

Friday, March 7, 2025

12:00 pm – Winner UAF/SPU vs. No. 2 seed Northwest Nazarene

2:15 pm – Winner WWU/MSUB vs. No. 1 seed Central Washington

 

Saturday, March 8, 2025

5:00 pm – Men's Championship Game

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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WWU will be making a return to the postseason GNAC Tournament for the first time since the 2021-22 season, narrowly missing out on tournament bids each of the last two seasons. The Vikings won the tournament in 2019-20 just prior to the global pandemic for their second title (also won in 2016-17) and own an 9-8 record in 10 trips to the GNAC Championships.

 

Here are ways you can follow the 2025 GNAC Men's Basketball Championships:

 

·         Tournament Website

·         Tickets

·         Live webcast via GNAC.tv

·         Live Stats

·         Tournament History

 

If you don't read anything past this portion of the preview on the Vikings, you should find out everything you need to know on the Vikings in the following bullet points:

 

·         The Standings: Tied for 3rd in final GNAC standings with 11-7 conference mark.

·         Hot Streak: Won 11 of last 13 games after starting GNAC play 0-5.

·         The Record: 19-9 overall, 11-7 GNAC, 8-2 non-conference, 10-5 home, 7-3 away, 2-1 neutral.

·         All-GNAC Team: 2024-25 All-GNAC selections and special awards will be announced Wednesday.

·         Attendance Marks: Last four home games featured over 1,000 fans and 1,147 average attendance.

·         In-Saine Numbers: Over his last 5 games Tijan Saine has scored 139 points (27.8 points per game).

·         Senior Night: WWU honored seniors Will Wilson and Charlie Dietiker prior to the final home game.

 

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

 

 

WWU completed the road portion of the GNAC schedule with wins at Western Oregon (87-78) and Saint Martin's (91-81) to go 6-3 away from Bellingham in conference play. The Vikings won their final six conference road games for the longest GNAC road winning streak since also winning six straight in 2017-18. Overall WWU is 9-4 away from Bellingham this season going 7-3 in road games and 2-1 in neutral-site contests.

 

Sophomore guard Tijan Saine has put together one of the best five-game stretches in program history combining to score 139 points in games against Western Oregon (37), Saint Martin's (29), Simon Fraser (27), Central Washington (23) and Northwest Nazarene (23) for a 27.8 points per game average. During the five games he has combined to shoot 55.9-percent from the field (38-for-68), 61.9-percent from three-point range (13-for-21) and is nearly perfect going 50-for-52 (.962) from the free throw line. He has accomplished all this while playing 197 out of 200 possible minutes. Saine's 37-point career-high at WOU tied for the 13th-most points in single-game history. He has scored in double digits in every game during the second half of the GNAC season (9 games), combining to average 23.3 points per game during this stretch where the Vikings are 7-2. For the season Saine is averaging 17.1 points to rank 2nd in the GNAC and 4.0 assists per game…and is 104-for-115 from the free throw line to lead the GNAC in free throw percentage (.904).

 

Here is a look at the final 2024-25 GNAC Men's Basketball standings and overall records heading into the GNAC Championships. Updated conference statistics and results can be viewed online at GNACSports.com. WWU finished the regular season tied for 3rd in the standings with an 11-6 record.

 

 

Here is a team statistical comparison for the Vikings from the first five GNAC games (0-5) and the last 13 conference games (11-2):

 

 

Six of the Vikings nine losses this season are by a combined 15 points. WWU dropped its first game of the season vs. Westminster on a half-court buzzer beater (66-63) and opened GNAC play with a pair of tight games falling at Northwest Nazarene by one point (75-74) and Central Washington (79-76). WWU's loss to snap a seven-game winning streak was a one-point defeat against Seattle Pacific and the last defeat as a three-point game vs. NNU.

 

Sophomore guard Tijan Saine hit the Vikings second buzzer-beater of the season capping the 77-75 win over then No. 17 Saint Martin's on January 16. Saine raced the length of the court with 5.1 seconds remaining on the clock and hit a floating layup as time expired to seal the victory and his 15-poing performance. WWU also won at the buzzer defeating No. 12 Cal State Dominguez Hills on opening night with freshman Aidan Rice hitting the game-winning three-pointer at time expired. In the Vikings last victory at Simon Fraser on January 25, Garrett Levesque hit a last-possession three-pointer with 3.5 seconds on the clock on the way to a 79-77 road win over the Red Leafs. Western was dealt a buzzer-beater loss on a half-court three-pointer by Westminster on November 21 and a late three-pointer with 4.1 seconds remaining in a 64-63 loss to Seattle Pacific on February 8.

 

Senior Charlie Dietiker represented WWU on the 2024-25 GNAC All-Academic Team for his standout work in the classroom with a cumulative 3.27 GPA majoring in business management. Dietiker became a two-time conference all-academic aware winner, one of just five repeat winners across the GNAC.

 

The Vikings have had five selections for GNAC Player of the Week honors so far during the 2024-25 season, tying the program record for the most in a season with 2001-02, 2024-05, 2012-13 and 2016-17. Grant Kepley (Dec. 9-15), Louis Grante-Halliday (Nov. 11-17), Will Wilson (Nov. 4-10 & Jan. 13-19) and Tijan Saine (Feb. 10-16) earning the awards. Here is a look at the complete list of GNAC Player of the Week awards from this season:

 

 

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2024-25 season heading into the GNAC Tournament:

 

 

WWU has made nine appearances in the NCAA Division II Championships since joining the level in 1998-99, last qualifying for the D2 dance in 2019-20 when the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the pandemic. The Vikings own an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 17-7 (.708) and have won at least one game in six of eight previous championships appearances (2+ games  in 4 of 8). The Vikings are three-time West Region Champions (2001, 2012, 2013), advancing the NCAA II Final Four in all three of the Elite 8 appearances in program history and won the 2012 NCAA II National Championship.

 

Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his 13th year and 12th season at the helm of the program, and 30th overall at WWU. Dominguez has led the Vikings to a 233-124 record (.653) and was the 2016-17 GNAC Coach of the Year. Dominguez has recorded 138 GNAC victories to rank 3rd-most in conference history. He is assisted by AJ Albritton (3rd season), Bob Hofstetter (12th season) and Atiavo Jude (12th season).

 

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 1,579 all-time victories.