Men's Basketball | 2/3/2011 9:40:12 PM

Box Score [Box score]

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Blair Wheadon scored 29 points and Jordan Freelander added a career-high 23 but it was not enough as Western Oregon fell on the road at Western Washington, 85-79, on Thursday (Feb. 3).

The loss drops Western Oregon (11-11, 6-6 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) one-and-a-half games back of fourth place Western Washington (12-7, 7-4 GNAC) in the race to host a first round game in the ensuing GNAC tournament.

Wheadon reached 29 points for the third time this season, and fourth in his career. He went 10-of-19 from the field and 8-of-9 at the line, while also adding five assists and matched a season-high with seven steals.

Freelander connected on 7-of-10 shots and all seven of his free throws en route to scoring 23 points in just 24 minutes. Tarance Glynn also notched 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Michael Duty scored 16 points and grabbed 13 boards for the Vikings who outrebounded the Wolves 39-21. Rory Blanche led WWU with 22 points and John Allen added 19, including connecting on all 10 of his shots at the line.

The game was back and forth in the first half before Western Washington scored 15 straight points to take a 12-point lead (34-22). The Wolves would fight back by scoring seven of the final nine points of the half to trail by just seven at the break (36-29).

Western Oregon would chip away at the Vikings' lead in the first 10 minutes of the second half before putting together an 11-4 run to take a 55-54 lead on a pair of free throws by Wheadon. However, WWU had the answer. It scored the next eight points and 12 of the next 14 to take the 68-59 lead with 3:44 remaining.

The Wolves came right back scoring the next six to trail 68-65 with 2:44 left. Western Washington would never open the door for a Wolves' comeback as it hit 15-of-16 over the final 1:43.

Western Oregon will now travel to Simon Fraser to take on the Clan on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 7:00 p.m.