The Basics

• Final Score: No. 8/4 Western Oregon 64, Alaska 59
• Records: Western Oregon 16-2, 9-1; Alaska 13-5, 7-3
• Wolves extended overall winning streak to seven games and home string to eight in a row.
• At the halfway mark of the conference season, Western Oregon and Alaska Anchorage are tied at 9-1 with Alaska sitting in third place at 7-3.
• Location: Monmouth, Ore. – New P.E. Building

 
How It Happened
Western Oregon seemed to have the game under control after sophomore forward Tanner Omlid hit a jump shot in the paint to put the home team up, 47-31, with 15:47 to play. But Alaska would close within three points on five different occasions, the last with 11 seconds left after a triple by Bangaly Kaba.
 
Alaska could not force a steal and was forced to foul senior guard Julian Nichols with seven ticks on the clock. The veteran knocked home both charity shots to push the advantage back up to two possessions. A late 3-point try from the Nanooks caromed off the rim into the hands of senior Jordan Wiley as time expired.
 
The Wolves had to fight off a slow start that saw Alaska take a six-point advantage at the 13:35 mark of the first half. Four minutes later, the Nanook lead remained steady at five, 16-11.
 
Senior forward Andy Avgi began a 24-11 run at the 8:30-mark with 10 straight points thanks to a pair of 3-point makes and four free throws. Wiley extended the rally with three connections from behind the arc in the span of four trips down the floor. Nichols joined the long-range barrage hitting from the top of the key and Wiley capped the run with fifth 3-pointer of the half. Western Oregon enjoyed a 38-27 lead at the break.
 
Wolves' Top Performers

• Andy Avgi led Western Oregon with 24 points including five 3-pointers. He was 9-of-10 from the foul line, pulled down eight rebounds and had three blocked shots.
• Jordan Wiley also made five shots from distance leading to his 17 points. Wiley matched Avgi in the rebounding column with eight boards.
• Julian Nichols had another Nichols-type night: 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals  
• Tanner Omlid played a season-high 28 minutes. He had six points, seven points, two assists and a block.

 
For the Nanooks

• Trevante Williams was just 4-of-15 from the floor, but 7-of-7 from the free-throw line to score 16 points.
• Brandon Davis had 15 points, hitting three shots from behind the arc.
• Almir Hadzisehovic had 10 points and six rebounds from the post.

 
Stats of the Game

• The Wolves were held to 33.9 percent shooting from the floor, their lowest percentage against a Division II opponent on the season (31.1 percent at Oregon).
• Thirteen of 19 made field goals for WOU were 3-pointers. The 13 connections tied for the second most in a game this year (14, at Notre Dame de Namur).
• For the first time, WOU had more turnovers (13) than their opponent (10).
• The Wolves assisted on 13 of their 19 buckets.

 
Up Next
Western Oregon remains at home next week to open the second half of GNAC play beginning Thursday, Jan. 28 against Northwest Nazarene. Tip time from the New P.E. Building is at 7 p.m. The  Wolves won the first meeting on Jan.2 in Nampa, 75-53.