WESTERN OREGON WOLVES (3-11, 0-4)
STATS | GAME NOTES
Head Coach: Wes Pifer
Record at WOU: 48-72, 30-46 GNAC (5th Season)

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
Watch/Live Stat Links

#18 SAINT MARTIN'S (15-2, 4-0)

• 4:15 p.m. Saturday
• Monmouth, Oregon
• All-Time: 44-38 · Last 10: 4-6 · Streak: Lost 4
• Last Win: March 3, 2022 at SMU (73-72)

HEADING INTO THIS WEEK

• The Wolves are looking for their first win against a ranked opponent since taking down No. 6 Dixie State (now Utah Tech) on Dec. 20, 2019, in Monmouth. WOU's also going for its first win at home against Saint Martin's since Jan. 9, 2020 (108-73).
• Jason Gallant paces WOU in scoring at 16.5 points per game - fourth in the conference. He leads the GNAC in free throws made (65) and attempted (82).
• The Saints started the season with eight straight wins before dropping two games in a row - the first to then No. 17 Point Loma - and are now riding a seven-game winning streak. The Saints are undefeated in conference play.
• The Saints' Jaden Nielsen-Skinner is leading the conference in assists per game (5.9) and is third in steals (1.7). The Saints lead the GNAC in scoring (83.5), 3-pointers per game (10.2 - 12th in DII) and rebounding margin (+6.3).

• The Wolves are coming off an 81-68 loss to Seattle Pacific Saturday at home. Jason Gallant had a team-best 17 points and seven rebounds while Jahville Collins added 14 points and Makio Mims 11 - going a perfect 3-for-3 from the beyond the arc.
• Saint Martin's won both of its contests last week at home, defeating Seattle Pacific 71-53 before beating Montana State Billings 82-70.  Myles Samuels had a team-high 18 points (going for 4-for-9 from 3-point range) in the win over SPU while Jaden Nielsen-Skinner tallied 18 points, three assists and three steals in the victory over MSUB.

Collins makes impact in return
Senior Jahville Collins - who missed last sesaon due to injury - in his three games back for the Wolves is averaging 12.7 points, three rebounds and a steal per game.  The Camarillo, California, native in his first season with the Wolves in 2022-23 averaged 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and shot 46.6 percent for 3-point range.

Frosh Williams Jr. dazzles in second half against Linfield (Dec. 17)
Western Oregon true freshman Mario Williams Jr. scored all 21 of his points in the second half, including seven of the final eight for the Wolves, in a 63-61 win over Linfield on Dec. 17. The Wolves trailed the Wildcats 61-57 with less than 90 seconds left when Williams Jr. drained a 3-pointer to cut the Linfield lead to one. The 6-foot-5 guard used his length to pick up a clutch steal with 19 seconds remaining and was fouled to send him to the line and WOU still down one. Williams Jr. calmly sank both free throws, putting the Wolves up 62-61 as they held on for the win.

Williams Jr.'s 21 points along with seven rebounds (five offensive) and four steals were all career highs.

Gallant crosses 1,200 career points, 53rd on NCAA D-II active list
WOU guard Jason Gallant has crossed the 1,000-, 1,100- and now the 1,200-career point mark as he sits with 1,225 points - 53rd on the NCAA D-II active list. The WOU senior who transferred to the Wolves prior to his junior season from Colorado Christian also is 39th in assists (289) and 16th in free throws made (328).

10th Anniversary of WOU's first GNAC title
This season marks the 10th anniversary of the Wolves' first GNAC title in the 2014-15 season as WOU went 15-3 in conference play and 23-7 overall. It was also the first of a run of four NCAA Tournament appearances in five years for the Wolves (including an Elite 8 appearance the next year in 2015-16).

Andy Avgi became WOU's first NCAA All-American in 2014-15 (the Wolves joined the NCAA for the 2000-01 season) - selected to the fourth team (Division II Belletin All-American Team) after averaging 18.5 points and 5.9 rebounds. Overall, he is  WOU's 11th All-American all-time (first and only since Mike Venderhoff in 1999-2000).

Gallant named to Preseason All-GNAC team (Oct. 22)
Western Oregon Senior Jason Gallant was named to the GNAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team when the conference released the team on Oct. 22.

Gallant, a senior guard from Simi Valley, California, led the Wolves and was sixth in the conference in scoring last year at 15.5 points per game while he was second in the GNAC in assists (4.4) and minutes per game (36.3) in his first season at WOU. He scored a season-high 31 points against Alaska Fairbanks on Feb. 22, 2023.