PORTLAND, Ore. – Andy Avgi led three players in double figures as the No. 4/14 Western Oregon men's basketball team defeated Concordia 92-59 at Cavalier Gymnasium. The Wolves extended their winning streak to seven games and notched their first win in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
It was the first-ever meeting between the two schools in league play, as Concordia joined the Division II and GNAC ranks this year.
 
Avgi led all scorers with 27 points, connecting on 10 of 16 shots from the floor and 4 of 5 from 3-point land, while pulling down six rebounds. Jordan Wiley scored a season-best 21 points as he hit 7 of 10 shots fired. Kadeem Strickland finished with 13 points (season-high) off the bench and Alex Roth pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to go with seven points.
 
Western Oregon (7-0, 1-0 GNAC) finished the night shooting 53.1 percent from the field, including a 17 of 31 effort in the first half. The Wolves also made 13 of 28 (46.4 percent) from the 3-point arc.
 
Latrell Wilson was one of two Concordia players in double figures, knocking down eight shots to score 23 points. Tyler Gutierrez finished with 10 points. The Cavaliers shot 41.2 percent from the field and 11 of 22 from the foul line.
 
The Wolves actually led before the ball was tossed at midcourt due to an administrative technical foul assessed to the Cavaliers. Wiley drained a free throw for a 1-0 lead. Avgi added a triple on the first true offensive possession.
 
The Wolves never allowed the Cavaliers to take a lead, jumping out on a 13-0 run early in the first half. After Concordia's first bucket, Strickland netted a bucket with a foul and Wiley tallied five points including a corner 3-pointer at the 15:08 mark for a 17-3 lead.
 
Concordia cut the lead back down to nine points on two different occasions before WOU closed the half outscoring the hosts 26-19 spurt. Tanner Omlid scored the final three points of the half en route to a 45-29 lead at the halftime break.
 
Western Oregon maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half. Concordia came no closer than 14 points at the 14:22 mark. WOU expanded the lead to 20 points on consecutive 3-pointers from Strickland at 13:36 and the margin hit 30 points after a 10-0 run sparked by a J.J. Chirnside free throw and successive triple makes from Roth, Janvier Alaby and Avgi. The biggest lead was 35 points, 90-55, with 2:28 to go when Chirnside connected from distance.
 
The Wolves scored 27 points on 19 Concordia turnovers while the WOU bench outscored the Cavaliers 29-19.
 
WOU returns home to continue GNAC play on Saturday night at 7 p.m. when they face Montana State Billings inside the New P.E. Building.