BELLINGHAM, Wash./BURNABY, B.C. – The Western Oregon University men's basketball team opened their three-game road swing at Seattle Pacific on Tuesday. Despite a balanced scoring effort, the Falcons took the victory. WOU will face Western Washington on Thursday night starting at 7 p.m. and then at Simon Fraser on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.
Cameron Cranston and Collin Warmouth led the Wolves (3-15, 2-8 GNAC) with 12 points apiece. Daisone Hughes added 11 points and John Morrill-Keeler with 10 points and nine rebounds. WOU outscored Seattle Pacific, 44-36, in the second half but couldn't erase a 19-point halftime deficit.
On the season, the Wolves average 70.4 points, making 466-1,105 (42.2) from the field, 163-467 (34.9) from three and 173-232 (74.6) at the foul line. WOU averages 31.9 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.2 blocks. Opponents average 79.3 points, making 546-1,133 (48.2) from the field, 140-373 (37.5) from three and 196-265 (74) at the foul line. Opponents also average 38.6 rebounds, 15.1 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.2 blocks.
Cranston leads the way for the Wolves averaging 18.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 39 assists, 29 steals, 22 blocks, 121 field goals, 48 three-pointers and 46 free throws. He leads the team in points per game, field goals, three-pointers, free throws, steals and blocks, while averaging 37.3 minutes per game. Morrill-Keeler is at 10.5 points and leads the team in 6.1 rebounds per contest. He also adds 20 steals and 10 blocks, while shooting over 52 percent (75-142) from the field. Yosani Clay is just short of averaging in double-figures at 9.7 points, along with 29 three-pointers and 36 assists. Hughes is at 7.2 points and Tyreek Price adds 7.0 points per game. Elihu Cobb is right behind at 6.9 points and 3.8 rebounds, while shooting 67.9 percent (36-53) from the field. Qiant Myers leads the team with 65 assists.
This will be the first meeting of the season between WOU and Western Washington. The teams will play again on Feb. 21 in Monmouth. Western Washington picked up a big road win on Tuesday at Central Washington by a score of 97-86.
Western Washington enters the week 12-8 overall and 5-5 in GNAC play, going 10-2 at home. Prior to the game against the Wildcats, WWU lost both games in Alaska by the same scores of 81-75 to Fairbanks and Anchorage.
The Vikings average 82.7 points, making 623-1,245 (50) from the field, 150-389 (38.6) from three and 258-359 (71.9) at the foul line. WWU averages 37.9 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game. Opponents average 75.4 points, making 548-1,254 (43.7) from the field, 158-428 (36.9) from three and 254-333 (76.3) from the foul line. Opponents also average 30.8 rebounds, 13.8 assists, 5.9 steals and 2.4 blocks.
Jalen Green leads the way averaging 15.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 18 blocks. Daniel Hornbuckle is at 14.4 points, adding 57 assists. D'Angelo Minnis tallies 13.2 points and 80 assists. Luke Lovelady adds 11.8 points and 6.6 rebounds. Erwin Weary Jr., who has only played six games this season, averages 11.3 points.
WWU holds a 28-14 series record since 2001 with the teams splitting the season series in 2019-20. The Vikings held on in overtime in the first meeting in Bellingham (86-79) and then WOU rolled to the 89-72 win in Monmouth. WOU has gone 11-9 at home and 3-17 on the road in the series during that time.
WOU will close the week playing at Simon Fraser. SFU is 9-8 overall and 4-5 in GNAC play, posting a 5-1 mark at home. They will host Saint Martin's on Thursday before playing the Wolves. WOU and SFU just played each other in Monmouth back on Feb. 1 with Simon Fraser taking the 75-73 overtime victory. This past week, SFU then went to Alaska and fell to both Anchorage (71-59) and Fairbanks (64-59).
In the first meeting between the teams, the Wolves had five reach double-figures in scoring led by 17 from Clay. He also made it a double-double with 11 rebounds and four assists. Cranston tallied 15 points, five rebounds and two steals. Hughes collected 14 points and four rebounds. Morrill-Keeler and Zach Moore added 10 points apiece. Morrill-Keeler added five rebounds and two steals, while Moore had two rebounds and two steals.
SFU averages 73.1 points, making 477-1,051 (45.4) from the field, 112-370 (30.3) from three and 177-276 (64.1) at the foul line. SFU averages 36.1 rebounds, 15.2 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.5 blocks. Opponents average 72.5 points, making 461-1,021 (45.2) from the field, 127-348 (36.5) from three and 183-252 (72.6) at the foul line. Opponents average 33.2 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.4 blocks.
Julian Roche leads the way averaging 13.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 18 blocks. Jasdeep Singh is second on the team in scoring at 13.6 points and adds 5.6 rebounds, but has only played seven games this season. Wilfried Balata is at 13.3 points and 5.9 rebounds. Jordan Lyons tallies 10.3 points, along with 4.4 rebounds and 12 blocks. David Penney is just short of double-figures sitting at 9.2 points and adds a team-high 79 assists.
WOU holds a 19-2 series record since 2011 and had won six straight in the series prior to the SFU win earlier this month. The Wolves are 9-1 playing on the road and won the last meeting in Burnaby by a score of 94-80 during the 2019-20 season.
For live video and stats at Western Washington: click here for video and click here for stats
For live video and stats at Simon Fraser: click here for video and click here for stats
