Nov. 23, 2007

Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Guard Ira Graham (So., Fontana, CA) led a balanced attack with 14 points as Western Washington University defeated Northwest University, 85-69, on Friday in first-day action at the 10th annual Western Washington University Chuck Randall Thanksgiving Men's Basketball Classic on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.

The Vikings, who improved to 3-1 with their third consecutive victory, had 10 players with six points or more. Forward Calin Schell (Jr., Chelan) had 11 points, and center Steve Severin (So., Richland/Hanford) had nine points and team-highs of seven rebounds and six blocked shots.

Freshman center Greg George led Northwest with game-highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds. Pat Mattson and Derek Miller each added 12 points for the Eagles, an NAIA school playing the contest as a non-counting exhibition.

Western took control of the game quickly, using a run of 11 straight points to take an 18-6 lead with 13:48 left in the first half. The Vikings, who shot 60.0 percent (15-of-25) from the field in the opening period, held a 44-21 lead at halftime. Graham had 13 points in the first half, and forward Steve Alford (Jr., Bakersfield, CA/South) added eight before leaving late in the period with a sprained ankle.

The lead was never less than the final the margin of 16 points in the second half.

For the game, the Vikings shot 54.5 percent (30-of-55) from the field. Northwest shot just 37.9 percent (25-of-66), but did have a 41-33 advantage in rebounds.

Western, which has won 11 straight Randall Classic games dating back to 2002, meets Bloomfield College NJ on final-day action at the Randall Classic on Saturday (7 p.m.)