Redshirt junior Leif Anderson scored a career-high 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting (WWU Athletics file photo)
Vikings Second Half Comeback Falls Short in Loss at NNU
January 11, 2019
NAMPA, Idaho – The Western Washington University men’s basketball team put together a strong second-half comeback attempt, but couldn’t catch up to Northwest Nazarene in an 82-74 defeat Thursday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the Johnson Sports Center.
Redshirt junior guard Leif Anderson (Bellingham, WA/Sehome/Whatcom CC) led the Vikings with a career-high 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting, including 5-for-9 from 3-point range.
WWU has dropped six of its last eight games to fall to 8-7 overall and is 2-3 in GNAC play. The Nighthawks won their third straight to improve to 9-2 overall and remain in a second-place tie in the conference standings with a 4-1 mark.
NNU junior guard Adonis Arms improved on his GNAC leading scoring average, recording a game-high 34 points on 11-for-17 shooting (3-5 3FG, 9-11 FT). The 34-point effort is tied for the best scoring performance by a GNAC player this season. Olamilekan Adetunji added an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double for the Nighthawks.
In addition to Anderson’s team-high 21 points, WWU junior forward Trevor Jasinsky (Camas, WA) scored 14 points and led the Vikings with 7 rebounds.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
The Vikings shot 34.8 percent for the game (24-for-69) and were 12-for-36 from 3-point range…marked the second-lowest field goal percentage of the season…36 3-point field goal attempts are tied for 4th-most in a game during the NCAA era (since 1998-99)…Trevor Jasinsky has scored in double-digits in 14 of 15 games and leads the team averaging 19.3 points per game…the Vikings were out-rebounded 53-33, tied for the largest rebound margin deficit of the season (also -20 vs. Humboldt State).
SECOND-HALF SPURT
WWU opened the second half on a 12-2 run, including scoring 12 consecutive points, cutting the deficit to four points at 41-37. NNU answered with a 6-0 run, but WWU remained close with a 5-point deficit at 47-42 with 12:01 remaining in the game. A 15-5 NNU run over the next four minutes put the game out of reach as the Nighthawks extended their lead to 17 points at 64-47. The Vikings made it a two possession game following a 3-pointer by Cameron Retherford with 1:16 remaining, but NNU scored five consecutive points to seal the victory.
FIRST HALF REPORT
The Vikings trailed by 14 points at the half, 39-25, with NNU using a 14-2 run midway through the half to build their lead to double-digits. WWU pulled to within 5 points at 21-16 following an RJ Secrest 3-pointer at the 10:42 mark, but the Nighthawks responded with a 9-0 run to build the lead to 14 points at 30-16. NNU led by as many as 19 points at 39-20, but Western ended the half on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 14 points. Leif Anderson led Vikings with 8 points on 3-for-5 shooting, including 2-for-3 from 3-point range, and Trevor Jasinsky added 7 points and 5 rebounds. The Vikings shot 28.1 percent from the floor (9-for-32) and were 4-for-13 from 3-point range. NNU was led by 18 points from Adonis Arms (7-for-9 FG) as the Nighthawks shot 42.9 percent (15-for-35).
ALL-TIME SERIES
NNU snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Vikings, gaining its first win over WWU since Jan. 17, 2015 in Nampa (80-73). The Vikings still lead the all-time series 32-10, including a 13-2 record over the last 15 games in the series.
UP NEXT
The Vikings continue their GNAC road trip on Saturday facing with the annual rivalry game vs. Central Washington (8-5, 2-3) on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 7 pm inside Nicholson Pavilion. The game at CWU can be followed live online via webcast and statistical updates at GNAC.tv.
-- @WWUHoops --
