SEATTLE, Wash. – Western Washington University junior guard Trey Drechsel scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Vikings to a come-from-behind 86-80 road victory over Seattle Pacific University Thursday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at Royal Brougham Pavilion.
The Vikings used a late first-half run to pull to within three points at the half (44-41) and then out-scored the Falcons 45-36 in the second half to improve to 8-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in GNAC play.
Drechsel (Woodinville, WA/Cedar Park Christian) recorded his fourth 20-point game of the season, notching his 27 points on 8-for-13 shooting (3-for-5 3-FG). He was the key to the late first half run scoring 11 of his 12 points in the half over the final three minutes, and added 15 points in the second half.
Senior forward Deandre Dickson (Easton, CA/Bakersfield College) and sophomore forward Daulton Hommes (Lynden, WA/Lynden Christian) each scored 17 points, and sophomore guard/forward Trevor Jasinsky (Camas, WA) added 12 points. Hommes just missed the double-double with a team-high 9 rebounds and tied for the team high with 3 assists. Nearly all of WWU’s points came from the starting five (79 of 86), with junior center Logan Schilder (Bellingham, WA/Whatcom CC) rounding out the starters with 6 points.
“We had a very balanced attack and got some great performances tonight,” said head coach Tony Dominguez. “We had only one practice after the break, so once we started to work together, move the ball around and take better shots, it all came together. This is a good win against a very talented and well-coached team.”
The Vikings shot 51.6% (32-for-62) from the field, including a 53.1% mark (17-for-32) in the fast-paced second half. WWU was also 9-for-20 from 3-point range (45.0%) and 13-for-17 from the free throw line (76.5%).
Seattle Pacific (6-4, 1-2 GNAC) was led by 23 points from sophomore forward Tony Miller and 16 points from reserve forward Hunter Eisenhower (4-for-5 3-FG). Junior forward Nathan Streufert tabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
WWU and SPU battled through nine lead changes in the first half, with a 13-0 SPU proving to be the difference as the Vikings trailed 44-41 heading into halftime. Trailing by 9 points at 39-30 with 3 minutes remaining in the half, Drechsel scored 11 of his 12 first-half points leading the Vikings on an 11-5 run to pull to within three points at 44-41. Drechsel led the Vikings with 12 points on 3-for-5 shooting, with Dickson adding 10 points (4-for-8 FG, 2-for-3 3-pointers) and Hommes grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds. Eisenhower led the Falcons with 12 points going 4-for-4 from 3-point range and Harry Cavell added 10 points.
The Vikings carried the momentum into the second half, hitting 8 of their first 10 shots in an 19-9 run to turn the 3-point halftime deficit into a 7-point lead at 60-53 with 14:37 remaining in the game. SPU answered on an 18-12 run to pull to within one point at 72-72 with just over 6 minutes remaining, but the Vikings scored 12 of the next 16 points to put the game away en route to the 86-80 victory. Drechsel led the Vikings with 15 of his game-high 27 points in the second half.
Western returns to action Saturday with another GNAC road game, this time traveling to Lacey to face Saint Martin’s for a 7:30 pm tip-off at Marcus Pavilion. The game can be followed live online via webcast and live stats at GNAC.tv.
Game Notes: Deandre Dickson set a career high with 3 made 3-pointers (3-for-5)…Trey Drechsel has scored 20-or-more points in four of his last six games…WWU has won three consecutive games vs. SPU for the first time since a 5-game winning streak Dec. 3, 2011-Feb. 2, 2013…all three games during the win streak vs. SPU have been by a margin of 6 or fewer points…the game featured 4 tie scores (last: 47-47 with 17:59 remaining in the 2nd half) and featured 10 lead changes (last: with WWU taking the lead for good at 50-49 with 17:12 remaining).
About WWU Basketball:
One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in seven of the last nine 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 2011-12 NCAA Division II National Championship and advanced the following season to the NCAA II Final Four. Western is coming off a 2016-17 season where the program went 25-6, winning the GNAC regular season and conference championships title, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships as the No. 3 seed in the West Region. The program enters its 116th season, having combined for 1,466 victories and a .590 winning percentage.
— @WWUHoops —
Courtesy of WWU Athletics
