[Box score]
MONMOUTH, Ore. - Six Wolves scored in double-figures, and the Western Oregon men's basketball team outscored Central Washington 10-2 in the final two minutes to earn a 77-74 win, Saturday, Feb. 6.
Blair Wheadon recorded eight of the Wolves' last 10 points to will WOU to the win. With Western Oregon trailing by five (72-67) and under one-and-a-half minutes remaining, Wheadon hit a three-pointer from three feet behind the arc to pull WOU back to within two. After Toussaint Tyler answered with a layup, Wheadon was fouled and proceeded to hit both free throws to bring the game to 74-72.
Western Oregon (11-9, 4-5 GNAC) then got a defensive stop as Tyler's shot was blocked by Rico Myles giving WOU the possession with 00:26 remaining, and a chance to tie or take the lead. Kyle Long grabbed the loose ball and immediately rushed it up the court. He found Wheadon open in the left corner for the go-ahead trey (75-74) with 00:19 left on the clock.
The Wildcats' Shane Miller then missed a three-pointer at the top of the arc with seven seconds remaining and Tarance Glynn grabbed the rebound and was fouled, sending him to the line with a chance to put WOU up three. Glynn, however, missed the frontend of a one-and-one, giving CWU life with four seconds left.
The Wildcats (12-7, 6-3 GNAC) grabbed the rebound and sprinted up the floor, but Myles stepped up and committed just the Wolves' fifth foul of the half to stop the clock and give the Wildcats the ball on the sidelines with 1.5 seconds remaining. Central was able to inbound the ball to Jon Clift, but Long alertly committed another foul to give them the ball back with 0.7 on the clock. The Wildcats would try a lob pass to the basket for Chris Sprinker, but the ball sailed long. With the ball back in WOU's hands, CWU fouled Matt Schmidt, who calmly sank both free throws, to seal the win.
"We played well and showed the type of game we are capable of," said Western Oregon head coach Craig Stanger. "When our guys believe, we can play with anyone."
Western Oregon received double-figure scoring efforts from six of the eight student-athletes that dressed in the contest. Wheadon led WOU with 18 points. He went 4-of-8 from three and 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Rico Myles contributed with his second consecutive double-double, and fourth of the season, with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Six of his 11 rebounds also came on the offensive boards to help WOU outrebound CWU by eight on the offensive glass and by nine overall. Long just missed the first double-double of his career with 11 points and nine rebounds. Matt Schmidt and Kolton Nelson added 10 points apiece.
"Everyone has really come together," said freshman forward Tarance Glynn. "We know we have to play as a team out there because there is no one (on the bench) behind us."
Of the eight players that saw action today for WOU six were underclassmen. "We only have two active seniors right now," said Stanger. "Our freshmen and sophomores have to step up like veterans for us and they have been doing that."
This was game which featured numerous runs by each team, but it was the Wolves' ability to handle the Wildcats' runs and answer back which ultimately earned them the victory. The game was back-and-forth to begin the second half after things were tied at 34 all at the half, before WOU was able to put together an 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 52-43 with 14 minutes remaining. CWU would continue to fight back and eventually took a five-point lead, thanks to a 16-5 spurt. However, WOU and Wheadon had the answer outscoring CWU 10-2 down the stretch for the win.
Chris Sprinker and Toussaint Tyler led the Wildcats with 21 points apiece. However, the Wolves were able to put the clamps on JC Cook, holding the Wildcats' leading scorer to four points, 11 below his season-average.
The win also snapped a seven-game losing streak for WOU against Central Washington.
The Western Oregon men's basketball team will be on the road next Thursday against Seattle Pacific before returning home Saturday (Feb. 13), to take on Montana State Billings for the first time this season.