Men's Basketball | 11/27/2010 9:46:33 PM

Box Score [Box score]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Kyle Long scored a career-high 33 points to lead the Western Oregon University men's basketball team to a 96-73 win over Willamette and to the title in the inaugural Capital City Classic on Saturday, Nov. 27.

This was the second straight win for the Wolves who evened their record at 3-3 on the season. The loss dropped the Bearcats to 2-3.

Long, a junior guard from McMinnville, Ore. (McMinnville High School), hit 10-of-15 shots from the field and 7-of-10 from behind the arc to record a career-high 33 points. He came out firing from long range early, hitting four treys to account for all 12 of his first half points. In the second half, he made 6-of-8 shots, 3-of-4 from behind three-point range and 6-of-7 at the line to notch 21 points en route to being named co-MVP of the Capital City Classic. Those 21 points in the second half nearly matched his previous career-high of 25 which he scored last season against Northwest Christian.

Long's starting backcourt mate Blair Wheadon poured in 21, as the Wolves' starting guard duo combined for 54 of Western Oregon's 96 points. He hit 9-of-14 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 from long range. Long, Wheadon and fellow guard Jordan Freelander also each had five assists to tie for the team-lead.

"We have a variety of guys (at the guard position) that can contribute in a variety of ways, and they are starting to play together more each game," said Western Oregon head coach Craig Stanger. "We knew we had an advantage in the guard area coming into this game."

Tarance Glynn, who was named to the all-tournament team, added his second straight double-double with 11 points a career-high 16 rebounds. Six of those boards came on the offensive end where he helped Western Oregon have a 50-20 advantage in points in the paint.

"We felt we had the size inside to negate what they do in there," Stanger continued. "So we stepped up the pressure on the perimeter and forced them to become dribblers and not just shooters and that was key."

Western Oregon led 43-37 at the half thanks to solid shooting and a couple of timely runs. WOU fell behind by as many six early, but it fought back with a 12-2 run to take the six-point advantage at 29-23. After a three-point basket by Willamette cut Western Oregon's lead to three, the Wolves outscored the Bearcats 10-2 to give them a 22-7 run over an eight minute stretch. WOU also hit 47.2 percent of its shots in the half.

In the second half, the Wolves would put the game away with a 16-0 run, which spanned 3:20, and extended their lead to 22 points.

"(The run) came out of our defense and to be good that is what we have to do," explained Stanger. "When we built that lead in the second half it was because of our defense. We were defending well, getting some turnovers and forcing them into some ill-advised shots. Jordan Freelander was the guy who really provided a spark for us."

Western Oregon shot a season-best 55.6 percent from the field in the win, while holding Willamette to a 40.3 shooting clip. The 52.6 shooting percentage from three-point range was also a season-best for WOU.

Western Oregon also got 12 points from Kolton Nelson, as he was named co-MVP of the Capital City Classic along with Long.

Western Oregon will now jump into its Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule this Tuesday (Nov. 30) at home against Central Washington at 6:00 p.m.

Capital City Classic All-Tournament Team
Vincente Valdez, Pacifica
Erik Cronrath, Corban
Taylor Mounts, Willamette
Tarance Glynn, Western Oregon
Kyle Long & Kolton Nelson, Western Oregon - co-MVPs