Men's Basketball | 2/16/2012 10:46:00 PM

Box Score [Box score]

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Blair Wheadon tied the all-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference steal record and scored 12 points to lead the Wolves to a 60-42 victory over Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday, Feb. 16th.

Wheadon helped set the defensive tone for the Wolves (17-7, 10-5 GNAC) as they held the Nanooks to 29 percent shooting, to allow the least amount of points to a Division II opponent this season. Meanwhile, WOU hit 42 percent of its shots from the field and outrebounded UAF 35-29.

Western Oregon put the game in their hands in the second half after taking just a three-point lead into the intermission (23-20). The Wolves would take control of the game early in the second half thanks to a 27-8 run to double up the Nanooks, 50-25. During the run the WOU went to the line six times, which saw it make all 12 shots. The Wolves would end the game 13-of-14 from the charity stripe.

Stefan Tica led Alaska Fairbanks with 17 points and McDonald had a team-leading nine boards.

Wheadon poked the ball away three times tonight to bring his career total to 210, and tie the GNAC all-time steals record of 210 that was set by Grant Dykstra of Western Washington. Wheadon tied the record in the second half as he stole the ball away from Carthal McDonald.

Western Oregon will conclude their final road trip of the season as they head to Anchorage to face the 21st ranked Seawolves on Saturday, Feb. 18th. Tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. (PST)