Friday, March 11, 2016
by Evan O'Kelly

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The New P.E. Building on the campus of Western Oregon University housed its most raucous crowd of the season Friday night, as the energy from a black and red-clad contingency of Wolves cheered their hometown team to an 82-65 victory over Humboldt State University in the opening round of the NCAA Division II West Region Men’s Basketball Championships.

Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Jim Shaw struggled to relay his instructions to his squad on the floor over the volume of the WOU faithful, but the Wolves clicked as well as they had all season in their sixth straight victory.

In a rematch of their single NCAA tournament game from a season ago, the Wolves will face Azusa Pacific University on Saturday in the second round after the Cougars knocked off Seattle Pacific 77-66 earlier Friday.

Five Wolves finished in double figures in scoring, as four starters and Janvier Alaby off the bench accounted for all but five of WOU’s points on the evening. Tanner Omlid led the crew with 18 points and tied for the team high with six rebounds, and Julian Nichols was close behind with 17 points and five boards. Devon Alexander scored 16 and had six rebounds, and 2015-16 GNAC Player of the Year Andy Avgi scored 15 points.

The 2015-16 California Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament champions started the game with a 5-0 run, but the Wolves quickly responded and pushed ahead 14-7 after a dunk and free throw by Omlid.

Nichols generated an extra possession for his team directly before the half, taking a charge under the basket and giving WOU the ball with a 42-33 edge and 35 seconds to play in the first. The Wolves led 42-33 at the break.

Alexander took the ball to the hoop on WOU’s first possession of the second half, as the home team came out on fire and made a statement right away.

Malik Morgan had back-to-back buckets to bring HSU within eight points down 51-43, but the Wolves responded with four straight to regain command. The sophomore finished with 20 points and picked his shots wisely as he converted on 9 of 11 from the field. Senior Rakim Brown also had a game-high 20 points, and completed a double-double with 10 boards for the ‘Jacks.

Consecutive three-point plays by Morgan and Nikhil Lizotte closed the spread to 55-49, as the ‘Jacks pulled within two possessions late in the second half. HSU kept the game within six points moving into crunch time, but Devon Alexander nailed a trey from the wing to make it 68-59 with just under six minutes to go.

The Wolves pulled away from there, pushing their lead back into double figures and leaving no question that they’d complete their first-ever NCAA tournament victory.

TOURNEY TALK: HSU is now 10-13 all-time in 14 appearances in the regional tournament…it was the Lumberjacks’ first tourney berth since the 2011-12 season…the Wolves are now 1-1 all-time in the west region tournament…the all-time series still leans in favor of HSU, which has won 30 times and lost 19…WOU won the last meeting between the two on Nov. 25, 2010 by the score of 73-72 in Monmouth.

FRIDAY TOURNEY SCHEDULE

FINAL Game 1 – No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona vs. No. 3 Cal Baptist

FINAL Game 2 – No. 7 Chico State vs. No. 2 UC San Diego

FINAL Game 3 – No. 5 Azusa Pacific vs. No. 4 Seattle Pacific

FINAL Game 4 –No. 1 Western Oregon 82, No. 8 Humboldt State 65