MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University men's basketball team expanded on what was a four-point halftime lead and ended up blowing out Western Washington by a score of 89-65 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action inside New PE Gym on Monday afternoon.
It was a big night from the entire team as the Wolves (6-16, 5-9 GNAC) had five players in double-figures in scoring led by Cameron Cranston's 20 points. RJ Veliz had a stellar game off the bench going for 17 points. Yosani Clay added 16 points and both Tyreek Price and John Morrill-Keeler added 15 points apiece. Morrill-Keeler collected a double-double with 12 rebounds. Cranston grabbed seven rebounds and added three assists and two blocks. Clay had five rebounds and four assists. Price also added four assists. WOU was hot from the field all game making 50 percent (14-28) in the first half and then went 18-30 (60) in the second half to finish at 55.2 percent (32-58). The Wolves went 11-22 (50) from three and added a 14-19 clip at the foul line. The Wolves held strong advantages in fastbreak points (13-2), points off turnovers (16-8), second chance points (13-7) and points in the paint (36-28).
The teams traded leads early until WOU broke open a 9-9 tie by scoring the next five points. Cranston started the run with a layup and then Clay connected on a triple for the 14-9 lead at the 14:24 mark.
A jumper by Daisone Hughes and then a jumper by Cranston just past the halfway point of the opening half stretched the lead to 12.
Western Washington (14-12, 7-9 GNAC) fought back to cut the deficit to four before halftime leaving WOU with the 38-34 lead.
After the lead went back into double-digits, the Vikings made one last run to get to within eight near the seven-minute mark. That's when WOU answered and never looked back.
Veliz hit a key three-pointer and after Price converted a fastbreak layup, Cranston scored the next four points to setup a three-point-play by Morrill-Keeler that in a flash took the lead from eight to 20 on a 12-0 run in just over three minutes to move the lead to 78-58.
WOU got the lead as high as 26 over the final minutes before coming away with the 89-65 victory to sweep the regular season series with the Vikings.
Jalen Green led WWU with 23 points and five rebounds. Kai Johnson came off the bench to add 14 points. Daniel Hornbuckle collected 11 points to give the Vikings three in double-figures. WWU went 23-63 (36.5) from the field, 5-21 (23.8) from three and 14-19 (73.7) at the foul line.
The game against Western Washington marked the final home game of the regular season for the Wolves. They will now travel to Alaska to face Anchorage on Thursday at 6:15 p.m. and then Fairbanks on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. Both start times are Pacific Time. The GNAC Tournament will begin on Mar. 2 at both Saint Martin's and Seattle Pacific playing hosts to the early rounds.
