The Basics

• Final Score: No. 6/4 Western Oregon 80, MSU Billings 72
• Records: Western Oregon 25-3, 18-2; MSU Billings 10-17, 7-12
• Win gives WOU the distinction of being the first GNAC team with 18 league wins
• Location: Billings, Mont. – Alterowitz Gymnasium

 
How It Happened
Senior guard Devon Alexander scored 12 of his 19 points in the second leading to lead all five Western Oregon starters in double figures as the No. 6/4 Wolves accentuated their conference regular season title by beating Montana State Billings 80-72 Thursday night at Alterowitz Gymnasium.
 
Alexander was 6-of-10 from the floor with three 3-pointers while hitting all four attempts from the foul line. Fellow senior classman Andy Avgi had 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and four blocks for the Wolves (25-3, 18-2 Great Northwest). Julian Nichols had 15 points in 35 minutes while adding a team-high seven rebounds. Jordan Wiley netted the majority of his 13 points from the stripe and Tanner Omlid chipped in 10 points and four steals.
 
Preston Beverly led three players in double figures with 22 points for the Yellowjackets (10-17, 7-12 GNAC), while Jordan Perry added a career-high 19 points.
 
The Wolves led nearly wire-to-wire and shot 51.7 percent in the opening half to build a 15-point lead after Avgi's 3-point play with 4:53 remaining until halftime. A late 15-3 MSUB run allowed them to close within three. Nichols connected on two foul shots for a 42-37 halftime advantage.
 
Western Oregon scored four straight baskets over a three-minute span to lead 53-40.
 
A 3-pointer by Avgi built the lead back up to 14 points, 71-57, at the 4:31-mark.
 
The Yellowjackets trimmed the WOU lead to 75-70 after Perry connected on a pair of free throws. Wiley was fouled under 30 seconds and made one of two. MSUB attempted a 3-pointer and cleaned up the offensive rebound, but Wiley earned a steal and was fouled. The senior connected on both shots on that trip and repeated the effort on the next Wolves' possession to secure the eight-point win.
 
Despite being held to 9-of-23 (39.1 percent) in the second half, the Wolves finished the game shooting 46.2 percent overall (24-of-52). WOU's defense held MSUB to 37.3 percent from the game (22-of-59), but the Yellowjackets dominated the battle of the boards by 13 (43-29).
 
Up Next
Western Oregon enters the GNAC tournament as the No. 1-seed and will play the winner of Thursday's matchup between the fourth and fifth seeds on Friday, March 4 at 2:15 p.m. The tournament will be held at Marcus Pavilion on the campus of Saint Martin's University in Lacey, Wash.