NAMPA, Idaho – The visiting Western Washington University women’s basketball team cut an 18-point deficit in the first quarter to four points by halftime before Northwest Nazarene University used a strong second half to pull away as the Vikings fell 82-62 on Thursday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the Johnson Sports Center.
WWU (7-10, 3-6 GNAC) held the Nighthawks (11-3, 7-2 GNAC) to four points in the second quarter to overcome an early deficit and trailed 36-32 at halftime but NNU never surrendered its lead after the break. The Nighthawks re-extended their advantage out to double digits during the third quarter and maintained the double-digit advantage throughout the fourth quarter.
NNU raced out to a 17-4 lead at the 5:22 mark in the first quarter by making 6-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-5 3-pointers, to open the game. The Vikings battled back from a 26-8 deficit with an 11-0 run to come within 26-19. NNU guard Marina Valles capped the first quarter with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from approximately 35 feet away as the Nighthawks led 32-22.
Junior guard Amanda Lance (Buckley, WA/White River) had 6 points to lead WWU in the opening quarter, scored via 3-pointers to help fuel the 11-0 run. Sophomore guard Dani Iwami (Seal Beach, CA/Hawai’i Pacific) also had a 3-point play during the run and junior center Nikki Corbett (Camas, WA) concluded the 11-0 stretch with a jumper at the 1:17 mark.
The 32 first-quarter points were the most points in a period scored against the Vikings during the 2017-18 season, but the four points allowed by WWU in the second quarter were tied for the fewest by an opponent in a quarter this season. The defense held NNU to 2-of-16 (12.5%) shooting from the floor in the period.
The Vikings scored the first four points of the second quarter to come within 32-26, and then scored the last six points of the quarter while holding the Nighthawks scoreless over the final 5:14. Senior forward Hannah Stipanovich (St. Louis, MO/Metro State) scored consecutive baskets for the Vikings during the 6-0 run while sophomore guard Lexie Bland (Ellensburg, WA) added a pair of free throws just before halftime to bring WWU within 36-32.
WWU was unable to further reduce the deficit in the third quarter as the Nighthawks pulled away from a 45-39 lead with 5:13 remaining in the period by using a 10-0 run en route to a 55-42 advantage after three quarters. NNU never let its lead slip to fewer than 15 points in the final quarter after scoring the first points of the fourth period.
Bland, Stipanovich and Corbett each finished with 10 points for the Vikings. Bland recorded 5 steals to tie a career-best total and added 4 assists to tie for the game-high total along with Iwami. Lance added 9 points, making 3-of-3 from long range, while Iwami finished with 7 points.
Stipanovich and freshman forward Kelsey Rogers (Bothell, WA/Lynnwood) each grabbed 6 rebounds to tie for the game high while freshman guard Emma Duff (Tumwater, WA/Black Hills) tied a career high with 5 rebounds.
The Vikings finished 20-of-48 (41.7%) from the field, including 5-of-18 (27.8%) from 3-point range. WWU was 17-of-23 (73.9%) at the free throw line, led by Bland (5-of-6).
The Nighthawks went 25-of-52 (48.1%) from the field, making 7-of-19 (36.8%) 3-point attempts and connecting on 25-of-34 (73.5%) of their free throws.
NNU was led by the 27 points and 6 rebounds of guard Lexi Tubbs. Forward Danielle Jardine added 12 points and Valles finished with 11 points.
WWU continues a stretch of four consecutive road games on Saturday, facing Central Washington University at 7 pm in Ellensburg, Wash. The Vikings travel to Alaska for games at No. 4 Alaska Anchorage (Jan. 25) and Alaska Fairbanks (Jan. 27) next week before returning home in February. All games will stream live on GNAC.tv.
Game Notes: WWU held NNU to four points in the second quarter, tied with the second quarter at Western Oregon University on 1/6/18 for fewest points by a WWU opponent in a quarter…Nighthawks scored 32 points in first quarter for most points in a quarter by a WWU opponent this year (previous high was 29 points by Academy of Art in fourth quarter on 11/25/17)…Lexie Bland tied a career-high total with 5 steals and has scored in double digits during four of the last five games…Emma Duff tied a career high with 5 rebounds had a career-best 2 assists.
About WWU Basketball:
One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in seven of the last eight seasons and 34 times in the 47-year history of the program. WWU has 20 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, win percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 16 of 19 seasons at the Division II level with two trips to the Final Four. WWU is a five-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season champion and two-time GNAC Championships tournament champion. The Vikings are coming off a 2016-17 season where the program went 26-6, including an 18-2 record in conference play, and advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA Division II West Regional. The program has 1,000 all-time wins in the 47-year history of the program, and according to available records is the 15th women’s college basketball team across all divisions and levels to reach the milestone.
— @WWUWBB —
