Feb. 12, 2007

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BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

UPDATE: Looking to snap a five-game losing streak, the Western Washington University men's basketball team travels to Alaska this week for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games, meeting University of Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday and University of Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

The Vikings are 9-11 overall and 3-7 in GNAC action, following a 67-61 loss at league-leading Saint Martin's on Feb. 8 and a 76-61 setback at home to Seattle U. on Feb. 10. The five-game skid is the longest since late in the 1998-99 campaign and matches the longest during Brad Jackson's 22 seasons as head coach. Western has lost 10 of its last 14 games after opening the season 5-1.

Alaska Anchorage is 16-6 overall and part of a three-way tie for second in the GNAC at 7-4. Alaska Fairbanks is 15-9 overall and 6-4 in the GNAC. Both teams claimed victories in Bellingham earlier this season, UAA winning, 92-72, on Jan. 25, and UAF prevailing, 73-64, on Jan. 27.

Senior forward Lukas Henne continues to lead Western in virtually every statistical category. He is averaging 17.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, shooting 52.2 percent (120-of-230) from the field and 89.6 percent (103-of-115) on free throws. Henne, who has scored 20 points or more in nine games, ranks second in the GNAC rebounding, third in blocked shots, fourth in free throw percentage and fifth in scoring. Henne has scored in double figures in 18 of 20 games this season, both of those single-digit outings coming in the last three contests.

Sophomore guard Ira Graham, who has led Western in scoring in each of the last three games, is averaging 15.6 points and a team-high 3.3 assists. He has scored double figures in all but one game this season.

Henne and Graham have started all 20 games, as has freshman center Steve Severin, who is averaging 5.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, ranking fourth in the GNAC in blocks and ninth in rebounds.

Junior forward Brett Weisner is averaging 10.1 points in 13 games, including seven starts, since returning to action following a torn ACL suffered last April.

Sophomore forward Calin Schell has started all but three games. He is averaging 7.4 points and 6.1 rebounds.

Freshman guard Harold McAllister, who has started nine games, leads the GNAC in 3-point percentage at 49.1 percent (28-of-57). He is averaging 7.6 points and a team-high 1.2 steals. Freshman guard Brandon Williams, who has made seven starts, is averaging 6.6 points.

The Vikings lead the GNAC in blocked shots (4.7 avg.) and are third in rebounding margin (plus 1.6), but are last in field goal percentage (44.6).

Offensive struggles have been a key factor in the five-game losing streak. Western was averaging 77.3 points a game prior to the slide, but has averaged just 65.8 during it. In the skid, the Vikings are shooting just 40.2 percent (113-of-281) from the field, including 27.1 percent (19-of-70) on 3-pointers. Western was hitting 6.9 3-pointers a game prior to the slump, but just 3.8 a contest in it.

A loss in Anchorage would mark Western's longest losing streak since a school-record 10-game winless run in the 1982-83 campaign.

UPCOMING GAMES:

Feb. 15 (Thu.) at University of Alaska Fairbanks* (Fairbanks, AK), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 17 (Sat.) at University of Alaska Anchorage* (Anchorage, AK), 8 p.m.
Feb. 22 (Thu.) NORTHWEST NAZARENE UNIVERSITY* (CARVER GYM), 7 p.m.
Feb. 24 (Sat.) at Western Oregon University* (Monmouth, OR), 7 p.m.
Mar. 1 (Thu.) SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY*# (CARVER GYM), 7 p.m.
Mar. 3 (Sat.) SAINT MARTIN'S UNIVERSITY*# (CARVER GYM), 3 p.m.

Home games (all caps) on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium
#broadcast on KBAI Radio (930 AM) and via the internet at wwuvikings.com
*Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest

THREE-DOT NOTES: Either Graham or Henne have led the Vikings in scoring in all but two games this season ... Weisner has made his last 15 free throws ... Two of Western's losses were to Top 25-ranked opponents at the first Great Western Shootout on Dec. 19-20. After a narrow 67-64 setback to No.22 Cal Poly Pomona, the host Vikings fell 86-67 to No.24 Cal State San Bernardino ... The Vikings, who are shooting 44.0 percent from the floor, have not shot below 46.4 percent from the field for a season since hitting 44.4 percent during the 1999-2000 campaign ... Western's home game with Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 28 was postponed because of winter weather conditions that forced closure of the school for two days. The contest will not be made up ... The last time Western did not score 100 points in a game during a season was 1983-84 ... Jackson, who is in his 22nd season as the head men's basketball coach at Western, has 407 career victories. That is four shy of the school record for wins by a coach in any sport. Current WWU director of athletics Lynda Goodrich posted 411 victories in 19 campaigns as the Vikings' women's basketball coach from 1971-90.

Henne was named MVP at the WWU Chuck Randall Thanksgiving Classic and was an all-tourney choice at the Seattle Pacific Tip-Off Classic. He also was a GNAC Player of the Week for Nov. 19-25 ... Graham was an all-tourney pick at both the Great Western Shootout and Randall Classic ... Just five letter winners and no starters return from last year's 23-7 Viking team that reached the championship game of the NCAA Division II West Regional. It was the first time that Western had made back-to-back appearances in the national tournament (reached regional semifinals in 2004-05). The Vikings, who placed second in the GNAC with a 13-5 record, had their second straight 20-win season and their fourth in the last six years.

COACH JACKSON: Brad Jackson is in his 22nd year and is the most successful men's coach in school history, both in total wins (407-235) and winning percentage (.634). He ranks No.19 among active NCAA II coaches in victories and 35th in winning percentage. In 2001, Jackson directed Western to a 27-4 record and the semifinals of the NCAA II National Championship, being named NABC/NCAA II West Region, Northwest small college and Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year. Five times named district/region Coach of the Year, Jackson has directed Western to 16 post-season playoff appearances, including district/region/conference championships and national tournament appearances in 1988, 1994, 2001, 2005 and 2006. He has had nine 20-win campaigns (1986-90, 1993-94, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2004-05, 2005-06).

RADIO BROADCASTS: Selected Western games are being broadcast this season on KBAI Radio (930 AM) with Doug Lange handling the play-by-play and Mark Scholten providing the color commentary. They also can be heard on the internet at www.wwuvikings.com.

ON THE WEB: For up-to-date statistics, box scores of every game, records, stories, etc., see the Western Athletic web page at www.wwuvikings.com. Up-to-date league standings and statistics can be found on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web page at www.gnacsports.com.

PROBABLE WESTERN STARTERS & TOP RESERVES:

G Ira Graham, 6-1, *So., Fontana, CA/Fontana
G Harold McAllister, 6-0, Fr., Vancouver, WA/Mountain View
C Steve Severin, 6-10, Fr., Richland, WA/Hanford
F Lukas Henne, 6-7, ***Sr., Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap
F Calin Schell, 6-7, *So., Chelan, WA/Chelan

G Brett Weisner, 6-5, **Jr., Spokane, WA/Shadle Park/Eastern Washington
G Brandon Williams, 6-4, Fr., Chicago, IL/Thornton Fractional North
F Gabe Thrash, 6-8, Fr., Gardena, CA/Gardena
*letters

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS: The Nanooks (15-9 overall, 6-4 league, 9-5 home, 6-4 road), who have won four of their last five games, tied for fourth place in the GNAC last season (17-10, 10-8) and were picked to place seventh in the preseason coaches poll. They have qualified for the NCAA tournament in three of the last four seasons, twice sharing the GNAC title. One starter returns for coach Frank Ostanik (3rd year, 42-22) - 6-3 junior guard Kenny Barker (16.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg). Another top returnee is 6-2 junior guard Mike Titus (10.3 ppg), who scored the game winner against the Redhawks. Three talented transfers complete the starting five. They are 6-5 senior forward Jushay Rockett (20.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg) from NCAA I Texas State University, 5-9 junior guard Barry Barnes (8.2 ppg, 5.0 apg) from Long Beach City College and 6-8 sophomore center Colin Matteson (7.2 ppg) from Edmonds CC. UAF leads the GNAC in scoring offense, averaging 78.1 points per game. Western leads the series 13-7, losing 73-64 at Bellingham on Jan. 27.

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE: The Seawolves (16-6 overall, 7-4 GNAC, 11-4 home, 5-2 road, Feb. 15 host Seattle U.), who have won their last three games, tied for fourth in the GNAC last year (19-12, 10-8) and were picked to place third in the preseason coaches poll. Two starters return for coach Rusty Osborne (3rd year, 46-34) - 6-0 junior guard Luke Cooper (7.0 ppg, 8.3 apg - 2nd nationally, Eltham, Australia), who has led the GNAC in assists the last two years, and 6-6 junior center Carl Arts (13.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg). Another top returnee is 6-2 senior guard Eric Draper (14.7 ppg). Five talented newcomers have been seeing plenty of action. They are 6-7 sophomore forward Ivan Platenik (9.5 ppg), like Cooper from Australia, 6-5 junior forward Allen McFarland (3.4 ppg), who played at Salt Lake CC and NCAA I Western Illinois University, 6-5 freshman forward Trenton Millar (5.8 ppg), a two-time Alaska all-state pick, 6-8 junior center McCade Olsen (11.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg), a two-time Region IX pick at Eastern Wyoming College who led the region in scoring last season with a 21.7 points per game average, and 6-3 senior guard Buddy Bailey (6.3 ppg), who played three seasons at NAIA Cal Baptist University. UAA ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage (51.9), and ninth in both scoring margin (14.7) and free throw accuracy (75.9). The series is tied at 6-6 with UAA winning the last meeting, 92-72, at Bellingham on Jan. 25.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE UNIVERSITY: The Crusaders (7-14 overall, 2-8 GNAC, 4-5 home, 3-10 road, Feb. 15 host Saint Martin's, Feb. 17 host Western Oregon), who have lost their last four games, placed eighth in the GNAC last year (12-15, 7-11) and were picked to place eighth in the preseason coaches poll. Second-year coach Tim Hills (19-29, 28th overall, 460-423) returns just one starter - 6-1 senior guard Marcus Clift (11.0 ppg, 3.8 apg). Also back is 6-1 senior guard Tim Ireland (10.7 ppg, Bellingham High graduate). Three standout freshmen are 6-4 guard Justin Parnell (15.1 ppg, 3.4 apg), a two-time Oregon 3A Far West League MVP, 6-7 forward Kendall Gielow (10.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg), who was co-MVP of the Oregon 4A state championship game, and 6-1 guard Louie Beech (7.0 ppg). Two more new faces making key contributions are 6-8 junior forward Jason Simmons (11.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg), who averaged 19.3 points and 7.6 rebounds last year at Olympic CC, and 6-4 senior forward Casey Fisher (6.9 ppg), a graduate student who played two years at Regis University CO before missing his junior and senior seasons with knee injuries. Western leads the series 12-5, losing 95-72 at Nampa, Id., on Jan. 6.

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY: The Wolves (8-14 overall, 3-8 GNAC, 4-3 home, 4-11 road, Feb. 15 host Central Washington, Feb. 17 at Northwest Nazarene), who have lost nine of their last 12 games after a 5-6 start, finished ninth in the GNAC last year (9-18, 4-14) and were picked to place ninth in the preseason GNAC Coaches' Poll. Two starters return for second-year head coach Craig Stanger (17-32). They are 6-8 sophomore center Travis Kuhns (10.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg), the 2005-06 GNAC Freshman of the Year, and 6-7 senior forward Jacob Mitchell (16.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 56.7 FG Pct.). Also back are 6-3 senior guard Dominique DeWeese (7.0 ppg), who started 18 games two years ago, but played in just two games last season because of injuries; and 5-9 junior guard Brad Krichevsky (6.1 ppg). Two talented newcomers are 6-7 senior forward Ryan Schmidt (13.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg), who spent last year at University of Hawaii after averaging 18.2 points and 5.6 rebounds at Linn-Benton JC the previous season, and 6-0 senior guard Alex Swerzbin (8.4 ppg, 4.6 apg), a transfer from Clackamas CC. Western holds a 31-9 series advantage, winning the last five meetings, including a 97-94 victory at Monmouth, Ore., on Jan. 4.

GAME SUMMARIES:

Feb. 8 - Saint Martin's 67, WESTERN 64 at Lacey A late rally came up literally an inch short as Western fell to Saint Martin's, 67-64, in a GNAC game at SMU Pavilion. Graham had 20 points for the Vikings, who suffered their fourth straight loss. Saint Martin's improved to 10-11 overall and moved into first place in the GNAC at 7-3. Guard Jake Linton led the Saints with 23 points and 10 assists, hitting 8-of-14 shots from the field. It was the first victory over Western for Saint Martin's in the last 12 meetings, a streak dating back to the 2000-01 season. The Vikings trailed by six, 63-57, after Linton hit a 25-foot 3-pointer with 3:51 left, but Severin hit a free throw, then Graham scored a pair of buckets driving the lane, cutting to margin to one, 63-62, with 1:09 to play. Linton hit two free throws to give the Saints a three-point lead with 10.3 seconds left. Graham, who was 9-of-14 from the field, then raced up the floor and attempted a pull-up jumper to tie the game. The shot went in, but Graham's foot was on the 3-point line, making the attempt a 2-pointer and leaving the Vikings down by one, 65-64, with 3.9 seconds left. Greg O'Neal then hit two free throws for Saint Martin's with 3.0 seconds left, and Western threw the ball away trying to get a desperation shot off to tie. Western had trailed 21-9 early in the contest, but used a 16-4 run to tie the score at 25-25. The score remained tied 34-34 at halftime. The Vikings thought they had a two-point lead at the half, but a layin by Thrash was ruled to have come after time expired. Henne had 11 points, a career-high 14 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots for Western.

Feb. 10 - Seattle U. 76, WESTERN 61 at Bellingham Center David White scored 11 of his game-high 16 points in a decisive first half as Seattle U. defeated Western, 76-61, in a GNAC game at Carver Gym. The Vikings were led by the 11 points of guard Ira Graham. Seattle improved to 13-8 overall and 5-5 in the GNAC. Ryan Coldren and Sam Kirby each had 15 points for the Redhawks, with Coldren also grabbing eight rebounds. It was Seattle's first victory over Western in the last 10 meetings. Seattle never trailed, jumping to an 11-4 lead in the first 3:05, with White scoring five of those points. Western was still within five, 24-19, with 9:17 left in the half, but the Vikings then went nearly seven minutes without a field goal, allowing the Redhawks to open up a 42-22 lead. Seattle led 42-27 at halftime, and Western never got closer than 12 points in the second half. The Vikings shot just 33.9 percent (19-of-56) from the field, matching its season-low, and were a season-low 14.3 percent (2-of-14) on 3-pointers. Their 61 points also were a season low. Seattle shot 48.3 percent (29-of-60) from the field, and had a 38-36 edge in rebounds. Schell had nine points and a game-high nine rebounds for Western.