Vikings Head to Hoops in Hawaii D2 Power Invitational

WWU will open the tournament in the 50th state with a showdown vs. No. 20 Chaminade on Sunday. PHOTO: WWU Athletics

Vikings Head to Hoops in Hawaii D2 Power Invitational

December 14, 2018

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men’s basketball team returns to action this weekend with the opening game on Sunday of the Hoops in Hawai'i D2 Power Invitational.

The 2018 Hoops in Hawai'i Classic will feature eight top Division II programs in a traditional bracket format where a tournament champion will be crowned. The complete tournament bracket and information on how to follow the games can be found at scoringlive.com/hoopsinhawaii.

WWU takes a 7-2 record into the tournament and will open play in Hawai'i against undefeated and No. 20 nationally-ranked Chaminade on Sunday. The game vs. the Silverswords (6-0) is scheduled to tip-off on Sunday at 5:45 pm HT/7:45 pm PT at the Hawai'i Convention Center in Honolulu.

The winner of the WWU/Chaminade game will play the winner of the Southern Nazarene/Dallas Baptist game at 3:30 pm HT/5:30 pm PT on Monday, with the loser of the first-round games matching up at 1:15 pm HT/3:15 pm PT.

The tournament also features No. 11 Southern Nazarene (9-1), Dallas Baptist (7-3), Western Oregon (6-1), Emmanuel College (7-4), No. 7 UC San Diego (8-1) and tournament host Hawai'i Pacific (3-3).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Western Washington leads the GNAC and is 6th in Division II averaging 95.7 points per game…also listed 5th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.75) and scoring margin (+18.2) and 9th with the fewest turnovers per game (10.2).

HOW TO FOLLOW

All three of WWU’s games in the Hoops in Hawai'i D2 Power Invitational will feature a live webcast and statistical updates with links atscoringlive.com/hoopsinhawaii.

LAST TIME OUT

The Vikings defeated Columbia Bible College 117-72 in a home non-conference game at Dec. 8 in Carver Gym…freshman Jalen Green led the Vikings with a career-high 18 points, as six players scored in double figures…junior Trevor Jasinsky recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and added 5 assists…overall the Vikings shot 48.4% from the field (46-for-95) and were 14-for-34 from 3-point range (41.2%)…recorded a season-high 55 rebounds and tied a season high with 8 blocked shots.

SERIES HISTORY

Chaminade » WWU is 6-0 all-time vs. Chaminade, last meeting the Silverswords in the 2013 NCAA II West Regional in Bellingham (102-87 victory)…3-0 in games played vs. Chaminade in Hawai'i.
Dallas Baptist » WWU and Dallas Baptist has never played.
Southern Nazarene » WWU and Southern Nazarene has never played.
Emmanuel College » WWU and Emmanuel College has never played.
Western Oregon » WWU leads the all-time series 46-20…WOU defeated the Vikings 96-88 on Dec. 1 in double overtime.
UC San Diego » WWU is 3-2 all-time vs. the Tritons…UCSD defeated WWU 97-92 on Nov. 10 in La Jolla.
Hawai'i Pacific » WWU leads the all-time series vs. Hawai'i Pacific 7-6…two schools last met in 2015 in Honolulu, an 82-76 victory by the Sharks.

RETURNING TO GNAC PLAY

Following the Hoops in Hawai'i Classic, the Vikings will take a break over the Christmas holiday…WWU returns to action in the new year hosting Seattle Pacific (Thursday, Jan. 3) and No. 23 Saint Martin’s (Saturday, Jan. 4) on WECU Court in Carver Gym…both games are Great Northwest Athletic Conference contests that will tip off at 7 pm…WWU is 1-1 in conference play.

-- @WWUHoops --