Men's Basketball | 2/6/2014 9:50:00 PM

Box Score
POSTGAME QUOTES

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University men's basketball team held Central Washington University to a season-low point total in a 71-59 win Thursday.

The Wolves (12-10, 5-7 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) held one of the best offenses in the conference to a season-low 59 points. CWU entered the game averaging 85.5 points per game. Western Oregon's defense limited the Wildcats to 18 percent shooting from the field in the opening half, and then held off any attempt at a late rally.

Andy Avgi led Western Oregon with 18 points off of the bench. The sophomore made 4-of-8 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Devon Alexander added 13 points, four assists, and four steals. Adam Hastings was one rebound away from a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Western Oregon made 35 percent of its shots from the field, including 6-of-22 from three-point range. The Wolves also shot 17-of-20 from the free throw line. Both teams grabbed 44 rebounds, and both teams scored 34 points in the paint.

The game had only one tie and one lead change, as WOU controlled the tempo throughout the contest. The Wolves had a nine-point advantage midway through the first half, and stretched it to 15 just before halftime. Western Oregon led 33-20 at the break. WOU limited the Wildcats' potent offense to six made field goals in the opening half.

Western Oregon had its largest lead of the night nine minutes into the second half, 50-32. Central Washington closed within eight points once, but no closer. CWU heated up in the second stanza, making 54 percent from the field.

JB Pillard led the Wildcats (10-9, 6-5 GNAC) with 17 points and 13 rebounds. He made eight of his 13 shots from the field. Jordan Russell and Mark McLaughlin both finished with 14 points. McLaughlin entered the game as the national scoring leader averaging 28.4 points per game. He also averaged 31 points a game during conference play. The senior tallied an opponent season-high 39 points against WOU earlier this season.

In that meeting, Central Washington was able to hold off the Wolves in double-overtime, 106-103. The teams played to a 118-113 triple overtime WOU victory last year in Monmouth. Before Thursday's matchup, the programs combined for an astonishing 634 points in the past three meetings.

Western Oregon welcomes Northwest Nazarene (5-14, 3-8) Saturday for the GNAC Game of the Week on ROOT Sports. The Wolves will reach nine million homes across 18 states during the broadcast. NNU won the first meeting the season, 85-77, in Nampa, Idaho. Fans are encouraged to wear red to support the Wolves, and the first 100 students at the game will be given a free "ROOT for WOU" shirt. WOU will also honor its men's basketball alumni at halftime and throughout the game. The broadcast begins at 5 p.m., and fans are suggested to arrive early for seating.

Central Washington vs Western Oregon
02/06/14 7:30 p.m. at Monmouth, OR (New P.E. Building)
At Monmouth, OR (New P.E. Building)
WESTERN OREGON 71, CENTRAL WASHINGTON 59
CENTRAL WASHINGTON (10-9, 6-5 GNAC)
Pillard,JB 8-13 1-1 17; McLaughlin,Mark 4-12 6-7 14; Russell,Jordan 6-13 0-0
14; Davis,Kevin 3-5 1-3 8; Dawn,Terry 1-5 0-0 3; Vaughn,Julian 1-5 0-0 2;
Peake,Jalen 0-4 1-2 1; Budinich,Jeff 0-4 0-0 0; Roppo,Joey 0-2 0-0 0. Totals
23-63 9-13 59.
WESTERN OREGON (12-10, 5-7 GNAC)
Avgi,Andy 4-8 9-10 18; Alexander,Devon 4-12 4-4 13; Hastings,Adam 5-8 0-0
10; Wiley,Jordan 2-9 0-0 6; Webster,Rodney 3-7 0-0 6; Sarhan,Marwan 2-7 2-2
6; Thomas,Lewis 2-8 1-2 5; Sabic,Mirza 1-3 1-2 4; Holbrook,Eric 1-2 0-0 3;
Schriber,Jordan 0-2 0-0 0; Johnson,Drew 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-67 17-20 71.
Central Washington............   20   39  -   59
Western Oregon................   33   38  -   71
3-point goals--Central Washington 4-18 (Russell,Jordan 2-5; Dawn,Terry 1-3;
Davis,Kevin 1-2; Peake,Jalen 0-4; Budinich,Jeff 0-2; Roppo,Joey 0-1;
McLaughlin,Mark 0-1), Western Oregon 6-22 (Wiley,Jordan 2-6; Holbrook,Eric
1-2; Sabic,Mirza 1-3; Avgi,Andy 1-2; Alexander,Devon 1-3; Johnson,Drew 0-1;
Thomas,Lewis 0-3; Webster,Rodney 0-1; Hastings,Adam 0-1). Fouled
out--Central Washington-None, Western Oregon-None. Rebounds--Central
Washington 44 (Pillard,JB 13), Western Oregon 44 (Hastings,Adam 9).
Assists--Central Washington 5 (Russell,Jordan 2), Western Oregon 11
(Alexander,Devon 4). Total fouls--Central Washington 13, Western Oregon 16.
Technical fouls--Central Washington-McLaughlin,Mark, Western Oregon-None.
A-462
Great Northwest Athletic Conference game