MONMOUTH, Ore. --- The Western Oregon men's basketball team is back in the postseason.

The Wolves clinched a spot into the GNAC Championships with a 65-53 win Thursday night over Northwest Nazarene at New PE Building.

At 9-8 in GNAC play, WOU (12-12 overall) is tied for fourth-place with NNU in the conference standings - a game ahead of Central Washington who has also clinched and is in the sixth spot at 8-9. The Wolves take on CWU on Saturday and will look to stay in the 4/5 matchup (six teams make the postseason with the top two seeds getting a bye and the third seed playing the sixth and fourth seed taking on the fifth).

As for Thursday's win, the Wolves used a strong defensive effort in the win - holding NNU to 37.7 percent shooting from the field and forcing 17 turnnovers. On the other side, WOU shot 49 percent from the field and was 11-for-14 from the free throw line.

WOU led 27-19 at the half and never let the Nighthawks get within a possession of it in the second half.

Cameron Benzel led the Wolves with 19 points - going 6-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range to go along with four rebounds. John Morrill-Keeler had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds while Cameron Cranston added 12 points, two blocks and two steals.