MONMOUTH, Ore. — The Western Oregon Wolves return home for their first game of 2019 at NPE Gym, taking on Concordia University in Monmouth before a quick trip to Billings for a standalone road game at MSUB. Playing at home Tuesday, Jan. 8, tipoff is set for 7 p.m. against the Cavaliers. The Jan. 10 matchup at Alterowitz Gym against the Yellowjackets will tip at 6 p.m. PST.

ABOUT CONCORDIA (6-6, 1-3 GNAC): The Cavaliers had a three-game winning streak snapped Jan. 5 in a 75-66 loss at Alaska Anchorage, dealing CU their first loss in more than a month. Conference play has been hard on the Cavs thus far, getting their lone win in the GNAC in a three-point overtime victory on the road. Despite the early conference struggles, they find themselves just two games out of first and one game out of fifth place, giving them a chance for considerable upward mobility with a solid week.

Led by Jarrett Gray, a Preseason All-GNAC guard averaging 14.7 points per game, the Cavs are averaging 76.7 points per game, good for ninth in the conference. CU's biggest strength has been their rebounding where they pull down 37.2 boards per game to trail just WWU in GNAC rankings.

Defense has turned into wins for the Cavaliers. Despite posting a season-low 58 points Nov. 24 against Notre Dame de Namur, Concordia got the two-point win by holding the Argonauts to a scanty 56 points on the night.

WOU vs. CU: WOU is 6-1 against Concordia since 2007 and currently on a two-game winning streak. CU's lone win came Feb. 21, 2017 in Portland, 69-67. WOU is 4-0 at home.

ABOUT MSUB (7-5, 2-2 GNAC): Led by first-year head coach Mick Durham, the Yellowjackets opened conference play 2-0 and remained as one of three unbeaten teams in GNAC action through week one. They suffered a setback to start 2019, dropping a pair of road matchups while allowing 94 points or more in each game. The 0-2 weekend puts a halt on a 7-1 run that began back on Nov. 24.

The 111 points allowed to CWU is the most given up by MSUB since the Wildcats dropped 115 on Jan. 14, 2012. It is the third time this season they have allowed 90 or more points and the second time an opponent has hit the 100-point barrier. Despite this handful of high-scoring games, the 'Jackets are allowing fewer than 80 points per game (78.1) and are at a +2.0 scoring margin.

MSUB presents a well-balanced attack with five players averaging double figures in scoring. Zack Rollins (15.6 ppg) and Tyler Green (15.5 ppg) lead the offense while newcomer Melvin Newbern Jr. is just 1.5 rebounds shy of a double-double average.
 
WOU vs. MSUB: WOU is 16-10 against MSUB dating back to 2003. The Wolves have won four straight and 10 of the last 11 meetings. MSUB's last win came Dec. 5, 2016 in a 79-71 win in Billings. Their last win in Monmouth was a 74-69 overtime victory Feb. 21, 2013. WOU is 10-2 at home in the series.

ABOUT WESTERN OREGON (10-3, 3-1 GNAC): The Wolves currently sit in a four-way tie for first place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, even with Saint Martin's, Northwest Nazarene and Seattle Pacific at 3-1 GNAC records. WOU suffered their first GNAC loss on their most recent road trip, falling just short in a 61-57 loss at Alaska Anchorage. Western responded with a convincing 97-80 win two days later over Alaska to bounce back into the win column.

Riley Hawken scored a combined 42 points over the weekend, including 23 against Alaska for his ninth consecutive game in double figures.

The 57 points against Alaska Anchorage was the lowest-scoring game of the season for the Wolves and their lowest total since a 93-54 loss Nov. 30, 2016 to the University of Oregon.

NATIONAL RANKS: The Wolves are currently 2nd in TO margin (+7.7), 9th in scoring margin (+16.1) and 9th in assist/turnover ratio (1.62) in NCAA DII.

GNAC RANKS: In the conference, the Wolves rank 1st in scoring defense (63.9 ppg), scoring margin (+16.1), field goal percentage defense (.404), 3-point percentage defense (.307), assist/turnover ratio (1.62) and turnover margin (+7.7). They are additionally 2nd in offensive rebounds (11.7/game).

CONVINCING WINS: Eight of the 10 wins this season for WOU have come by at least 11 points. This includes three wins of at least 22.

RECORD-SETTING NIGHT: Western Oregon's 129-33 win over Portland Bible College Dec. 29 set several GNAC records including largest margin of victory, lowest field goal percentage defense (18.8) and fewest field goals allowed (9). The 96-point win topped the previous conference record by 11 points, set in 2008 by Central Washington. The 129 points was the most by WOU in their NCAA-era and just the third time they have topped 120 points in a game.
 
BAKER'S ALMOST DOZEN: O'landa Baker doled out 11 assists Dec. 29 for a season-high. It was the third-most assists by a WOU player in NCAA-era history and the most since 2015. He accounted for over one third of the team's 31 assists, coming just three shy of tying the school record for assists in a game. Baker also set himself season-highs in minutes, points, 3-point field goals made, rebounds and steals in that game.
 
DEFENSIVE HAWK: Junior Riley Hawken has led the Wolves or tied for the team lead in rebounds in 10 of the last 11 games. He is also currently second in the GNAC with 2.0 steals per game.

LEADING SCORERS: WOU has had nine different leading scorers in their 13 games. By class, the Wolves have been led by two freshman, one sophomore, three juniors and three seniors.

SHARING THE LOAD: Five separate Wolves are averaging seven or more points per game while nine players are averaging more than five points per game.

MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS: WOU went 25-28 at the line Dec. 1 against Western Washington. It was the most free throws made in a game by the Wolves since March 23, 2016 when they went 28-for-31 at the stripe in an 81-68 win over Saginaw Valley State in the 2016 Elite Eight.

BENCH PRODUCTION: The WOU bench has produced at least 15 points in 12 of their first 13 games including six games of at least 30 points. The WOU bench scored 65 points Dec. 29 vs. Portland Bible College. WOU's leading scorer has been a reserve four times this season.

TURNOVER MARGINS: The Wolves are 2nd in NCAA DII with a +7.7 TO margin. Including two exhibition games this season, WOU has forced at least 13 turnovers in all but two games – both losses — they have played.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: The 35 points scored by Colorado Christian Nov. 17 in WOU's 64-35 win was the fewest allowed in a game by the Wolves since Walla Walla's 29-point performance on Dec. 10, 2011. It was then bested a little over a month later when Western Oregon allowed just 33 points to Portland Bible College in a 129-33 win.
 
SOUZA PERFECT FROM THE FIELD: Buster Souza tied his career-high with 14 points off the bench Nov. 17 in a 64-35 win over Colorado Christian. Souza led all scorers in 14 minutes of play. The senior forward was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field while also pulling in four rebounds and two assists. It was only the third time in the school's NCAA-era history that a player has been perfect from the field on seven or more shots.
 
CONFERENCE OPENERS: Western Oregon has won five straight GNAC openers dating back to the 2014-15 season. Their last loss in their first conference game of the season came in a tight 67-66 loss to No. 5 Western Washington on Dec. 5, 2013 in Bellingham. The Wolves got their revenge later that year with an 88-85 win in the regular season finale.

SPANISH GNAC TIES: Former Western Oregon standout Tanner Omlid and former Simon Fraser guard Kedar Salam are now professional teammates, playing for CB Moron of LEB Plata in Spain.  

HAWKEN PRESASON ALL-GNAC: Junior Riley Hawken was the only Western Oregon player selected to the GNAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team, named a unanimous selection for the 2018-19 season. Hawken is one of six juniors on the team of 15 with the remainder being seniors. Hawken is the lone returning starter off of Western Oregon's GNAC championship team. He averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 79.5 percent from the free throw line and averaging 1.6 assists per contest during the Wolves' historic season.

2018-19 GNAC PRESEASON POLL: The Wolves were picked to place third in the league standings following Saint Martin's and Seattle Pacific… WOU received two of the 11 first-place votes for 94 total points in the poll to SMU's 118 and SPU's 105… the Wolves were the only team outside of the Saint's to receive a first-place vote and held an 11-point buffer over fourth-place Western Washington.

2017-18 REVIEW: The Wolves went 31-2 overall last season and 19-1 in conference… They cruised to both a regular season and conference tournament title with their only regular season slip coming in the second game of conference play against Western Washington. After the loss to the Vikings, the Wolves rattled off a school-record 24 consecutive wins while setting a Great Northwest Athletic Conference record for wins. WOU returned to the West Regional Championship game for the second time in three years, falling to Cal Baptist, 80-76. Tanner Omlid pulled in several postseason accolades, being named the GNAC Player of the Year, D2CCA West Region Player of the Year, D2CCA and NABC All-American and NABC DII All-District Team.

D2 WEST REGION POLL: Western Oregon fell one position for a No. 7 ranking in the D2SIDA West Region Poll on Jan. 7. The Wolves were one one four GNAC teams in the poll and the third-highest ranked squad behind No. 2-ranked Saint Martin's and No.4 Northwest Nazarene. With a 12-2 record, Point Loma took over the top spot in the poll after running their current winning streak to eight consecutive games. Point Loma's two losses this season have both come to ranked opponents. 

  

D2SIDA West Region Poll (Jan. 7, 2019)
Rank / School	Record	Points
1. Point Loma (3)	12-2	57
2. Saint Martin's (3)	10-2	54
3. UC San Diego	13-3	48
4. Northwest Nazarene	8-2	42
5. Chaminade	11-2	36
6. Cal State East Bay	12-2	28
7. Western Oregon	10-3	26
8. Cal State LA	9-5	15
9. Seattle Pacific	6-3	14
10. Humboldt State	11-5	5
WOU in D2SIDA West Region Poll
Date	Rank	Points
Nov. 12	7th	21
Nov. 19	9th	14
Nov. 26	T-10th	8
Dec. 3	7th	27
Dec. 10	7th	25
Dec. 20	6th	23
Jan. 7	7th	26