Tuesday, January 24, 2023

In last week’s matchup between two of the conference’s three title contenders, the Falcons got more lift in their wings than the Yellowjackets.

Seattle Pacific more than held its own on Saturday against Montana State Billings, which came into the contest undefeated in conference play. The Falcons shot 50.9% from the field while the defense limited MSUB to 37.5% shooting and just five three-pointers to score a 72-59 victory.

The Falcons benefited from a balanced effort across the board, led by 15 points and eight rebounds from junior forward Shaw Anderson. Sophomore guards Syon Blackmon and Casson Rouse each finished with 10 points, with Blackman adding seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Maui Sze added nine points and eight rebounds.

With the win, Seattle Pacific pulled even with MSUB for first place in the GNAC standings at 8-1 and was recognized as the GNAC Team of the Week.

Even in the defeat, Montana State Billings received solid production from its two stars. Senior guard Carrington Wiggins led all scorers with 24 points and seven rebounds while senior forward Bilal Shabazz added 17 points and eight rebounds.

Saint Martin’s is very much still in the regular-season title conversation after two wins last week. The Saints cruised back to the Alaska schools, taking an 82-63 victory from the Nanooks on Thursday and a 100-73 win over the Seawolves on Saturday. With the victories, Saint Martin’s improved to 7-2 in conference play to sit a game behind the Yellowjackets and Falcons.

As the second half of conference play begins, a group of four teams tied for fourth in the standings aim to separate themselves from the pack. Central Washington and Western Oregon both moved into the logjam with two wins last week. They are tied with Western Washington and Northwest Nazarene at 4-5.

Only two of those teams will face each other this week with Western Oregon playing at Western Washington on Saturday.

Central Washington will return home to Nicholson Pavilion for the first time this season after delays to the facility’s renovation project forced the Wildcats to play in other venues in Ellensburg, Yakima and Moses Lake. The Wildcats will host conference co-leaders with Seattle Pacific visiting on Thursday and Montana State Billings visiting on Saturday.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Matt Poquette
Central Washington
F • 6-6 • Sr. • Morton, Wash.

Poquette led Central Washington to two wins, averaging 15 points and seven rebounds per game while connecting on 60% from the field. Poquette registered a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Wildcats to an 84-82 win at Western Washington on Thursday. He made 7 of 12 from the field to go with two assists, three blocks and a steal. Poquette finished with 13 points and four rebounds in Saturday’s 72-65 win at Simon Fraser. He made 5 of 8 from the field and also finished with two assists and two blocks.

Also Nominated: Abdullahi Mohamed (Alaska), Dathan Satchell (Alaska Anchorage), Carrington Wiggins (Montana State Billings), Maui Sze (Seattle Pacific), Immanuel Oludele (Simon Fraser), BJ Kolly (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska dropped two road games to close the first half of the GNAC season, falling 82-63 to Saint Martin’s on Thursday and 61-59 to Western Oregon on Saturday.

• Junior forward Abdullahi Mohamed averaged 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game to pace Alaska on the road trip. He was the Nanooks’ leading scorer with 18 points at Saint Martin’s, shooting 7 of 15 from the field. He added 13 points at Western Oregon to go with six rebounds and two blocks. Mohamed is eighth in the GNAC in scoring at 13 points per game and is fifth with 2.06 offensive rebounds per game.

• Freshman forward Tyler Mrus averaged 13 points and four rebounds per game. He was the Nanooks’ leading scorer at Western Oregon with 16 points. connecting on 6 of 10 from the field and 4 of 4 from three-point range with five rebounds. Mrus finished with 10 points and three rebounds at Saint Martin’s. Mrus is averaging 12.2 points per game and ranks second in the GNAC with a .900 free-throw percentage.

• Junior forward Jaycson Bereal, Jr. added 11 points per game. Most of his offense came against Saint Martin’s, where he finished with 15 points on 7 of 11 from the field with four rebounds and two blocks. Bereal averages 10.5 points per game and ranks 10th in the GNAC with 5.3 rebounds per game.

• Alaska enters the week averaging 70.2 points and 35.5 rebounds per game. The Nanooks lead the GNAC and rank 23rd in Division II with a .406 field goal percentage defense.

• The Nanooks return home to open the second half of GNAC play, hosting Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage dropped both games on its road trip last week, taking an 84-76 loss at Western Oregon on Thursday and a 100-73 loss at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

• Junior guard Dathan Satchell averaged 19.5 points per game to lead the Seawolves’ offense. He came off the bench to score 16 points at Western Oregon. He performed even better in a starting role, leading all scorers with 23 points at Saint Martin’s on 8 of 16 from the field and 5 of 10 from three-point range. He also had five rebounds and four assists. Satchell is averaging 10 points per game in 14 games and eight starts.

• Junior guard Tyson Gilbert averaged 13 points per game, making 41.6% from the field in the two games. Gilbert finished with 10 points at Western Oregon on 4 of 9 from the field. He then posted a 16-point performance at Saint Martin’s, shooting 6 of 15 from the field and 4 of 11 from three-point range. Gilbert enters the week averaging 9.7 points per game.

• Junior forward Sawyer Storms finished with 15 points and five offensive rebounds at Western Oregon, making 4 of 7 from the field and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line. The transfer from Chaminade is UAA’s second-leading scorer at 10.1 points per game and ranks ninth in the GNAC with 1.89 offensive boards per game.

• Alaska Anchorage ranks fourth in the GNAC in scoring at 78.9 points per game and averages 30.4 rebounds per contest. The Seawolves rank third in Division II with 11.1 steals per game, 13th with a 1.51 assist/turnover ratio and 30th with 11.4 turnovers per game.

• The Seawolves play their only game of the week at Alaska on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington is now on a four-game win streak thanks to a close 84-82 win at Western Washington on Thursday and a 72-65 victory at Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Senior forward Matt Poquette was named the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he averaged 15 points and seven rebounds per game and shot 60% from the field in the two wins. Poquette led CWU with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds at Western Washington, making 7 of 12 from the field to go with two assists, three blocks and a steal. He added a 13-point performance at Simon Fraser on 5 of 8 from the field to go with four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Poquette enters the week averaging 11.6 points per game and ranks third in the GNAC with 6.8 rebounds per game.

• Junior forward Samaad Hector averaged 13 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Hector led all scorers at Western Washington with 22 points to go with nine rebounds. He made 9 of 17 from the field and 4 of 8 from three-point range. Hector added a four-point, six-rebound performance at Simon Fraser. Hector is averaging 11.3 points per game and is fifth in the GNAC with 6.3 rebounds per game.

• Senior guard Brock Gilbert averaged 10 assists per game, led by an 11-assist effort at Simon Fraser. He also averaged 11.5 points per game, paced by his 15 points at Western Washington. Gilbert leads the GNAC and ranks third in Division II with 6.8 assists per game. He also ranks 11th in Division II with 108 total assists.

• Central Washington averages 75.3 points per game and ranks fourth in the GNAC with 36.4 rebounds per game. The Wildcats rank second in the GNAC with a .487 field goal percentage.

• At long last, Central Washington returns to Nicholson Pavilion after playing its first seven home games at other venues due to renovation. The Wildcats host Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Montana State Billings on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings saw its perfect start to the conference season come to an end Saturday, taking a 72-59 loss at Seattle Pacific.

• Senior guard Carrington Wiggins put together a solid performance in the loss, leading all scorers with 24 points on 7 of 14 from the field and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. He also finished with seven rebounds and two steals. Wiggins is second in the GNAC with 17.7 points per game. He leads the GNAC and ranks fifth in Division II with a .934 free-throw percentage.

• Senior forward Bilal Shabazz scored 17 points to go with eight rebounds and two blocks, connecting on 6 of 17 from the field. Shabazz is averaging 11.4 points per game and ranks second in the GNAC with 8.8 rebounds per game. He ranks 10th in Division II with 7.68 defensive rebounds per game and 24th with 167 total rebounds.

• Montana State Billings is averaging 68.8 points and 34.4 rebounds per game. The Yellowjackets rank second in the GNAC in field goal percentage defense (.420) and rank 24th in Division II in fewest fouls with 14.2 per game.

• For the first time this season, Montana State Billings received votes in both national polls. The Yellowjackets picked up 12 votes in the D2SIDA Media Poll and six votes in the NABC Poll.

• Montana State Billings continues a three-game road trip to start the second half of the conference season, traveling to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene split on its road trip last week, scoring a 64-62 win at Simon Fraser on Thursday before taking a 78-60 loss at Western Washington on Saturday.

• Junior forward Gabriel Murphy averaged 11 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and shot 52.6% from the field in the two games. He led the Nighthawks with 16 points and nine rebounds at Simon Fraser on 7 of 14 from the field. He added a six-point, six-rebound performance at Western Washington on 3 of 5 from the field. Murphy is averaging 11.3 points per game and leads the GNAC with 9.1 rebounds per game. He ranks 29th in Division II with 3.14 offensive rebounds per game.

• Sophomore guard Yaru Harvey also averaged 11 points per game, connecting on 43.4% from the field. He came off the bench with 12 points on 5 of 10 from the field at Simon Fraser before adding 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals at Western Washington. Harvey is averaging 8.4 points per game.

• Senior guard Kobe Terashima averaged 8.5 points and five assists per game. He opened the week with eight points and five assists at Simon Fraser before finishing with nine points, five assists and four steals at Western Washington. Terashima is averaging 6.7 points per game and is fifth in the GNAC with four assists per game.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week averaging 65.5 points per game and ranks third in the GNAC with 37.4 rebounds per game. The Nighthawks rank 22nd in Division II with 13.18 offensive rebounds per game.

• Northwest Nazarene returns home this week, opening the second half of conference play against Montana State Billings on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Thursday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s finished the first half of conference play with a sweep, scoring an 82-63 victory over Alaska on Thursday and a 100-73 rout of Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

• Senior guard Branden Bunn averaged 13 points per game and shot 61.5% from the field. Bunn led the Saints with 16 points against Alaska on 5 of 7 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. He added 10 points against Alaska Anchorage with three assists. Bunn is averaging 11.4 points per game.

• Sophomore guard Champ Spencer came off the bench to average 13 points and three rebounds per game and shot 57.1% from the floor. Spencer finished with 14 points against Alaska and 12 points against Alaska Anchorage. He shot 4 for 7 from three-point range in both games. Spencer is averaging 8.7 points per game and is shooting 47% from the field.

• Six SMU players scored in double figures in the victory over Alaska Anchorage. Junior guard Christian Haffner led the Saints with 17 points in 29 minutes off the bench on 6 of 8 from the field and 5 of 7 from three-point range. Junior guard Kyle Greeley added 12 points on 5 of 7 from the field. Senior guard Hunter Sipe added 11 points and junior forward Nathaniel Stokes finished with 10.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in scoring with 82.7 points per game. They lead the conference and rank 26th in Division II with 39.6 rebounds per game. The Saints also rank fourth in Division II with 11.3 three-pointers made per game, sixth with 30.1 three-point attempts per game, 20th with a 1.40 assist/turnover ratio and 26th with 16.6 assists per game.

• The Saints open the second half of the conference schedule on the road, playing at Western Washington on Thursday and at Simon Fraser on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific finished the first half of the GNAC season in a tie for first place after scoring a 72-59 victory over Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• In recognition of their effort in shutting down the only remaining undefeated team in conference play, the Falcons were named the GNAC Team of the Week.

• Junior forward Shaw Anderson led the Falcons in the victory with 15 points, connecting on 6 of 11 from the field with three rebounds and three assists. Anderson leads the GNAC in scoring at 20.2 points per game. He ranks 27th in Division II with 364 total points.

• Sophomore guard Zack Paulsen and sophomore guard Casson Rouse each scored 10 points in the victory. Paulsen also finished with seventh rebounds and two assists and Rouse added three rebounds and two assists. Paulsen is seventh in the GNAC in scoring at 13.2 points per game. while Rouse is averaging 8.1 points per game.

• Sophomore guard Maui Sze came close to a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds to go along with two assists. Sze enters the week averaging 6.8 points per game.

• Seattle Pacific ranks second in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with 84.5 points per game and is averaging 33.3 rebounds per game. The Falcons lead Division II with a .533 field goal percentage and are second with a .432 three-point percentage.

• For the first time this season, Seattle Pacific received votes in the national polls, picking up nine points in the D2SIDA Poll.

• Seattle Pacific opens the second half of the season on the road, traveling to Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser dropped the first two games of its four-game homestand, falling 64-62 to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and 72-65 to Central Washington on Saturday.

• Freshman guard/forward Immanuel Oludele led the Red Leafs, averaging 15.5 points and six rebounds per game and shot 52.1% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Oludele finished with 13 points and seven rebounds against Northwest Nazarene, connecting on 5 of 12 from the field. He added 18 points and five rebounds against Central Washington, making 7 of 11 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range. Oludele leads all SFU scorers with 10.3 points per game.

• Junior guard David Penney averaged 11.5 points and five rebounds per game. Penney finished with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists against Northwest Nazarene. He added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists against Central Washington on 6 of 15 from the field. Penney enters the week averaging 10.1 points per game.

• Senior guard/forward Jahmal Wright averaged eight points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He finished with eight points and eight rebounds against Northwest Nazarene and added eight points and five rebounds against Central Washington. Wright is averaging 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

• The Red Leafs enter the week averaging 69.4 points and 35.8 rebounds per game. They lead the GNAC and rank fourth in Division II with 5.5 blocked shots per game.

• The Simon Fraser homestand continues against Western Oregon on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon won back-to-back games for the first time since November, scoring an 84-86 win over Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and a 61-59 win over Alaska on Saturday.

• Junior forward Cameron Benzel led WOU with averages of 16 points and seven rebounds per game, shooting 77.7% from the field. Benzel finished with 17 points and eight rebounds against Alaska Anchorage on 8 of 10 from the field. He led all Wolves with 15 points on 6 of 8 from the field to go with six rebounds. Benzel is 10th in the GNAC with 12.9 points per game and ranks sixth with six rebounds per game. He ranks 13th in Division II with a .625 field goal percentage.

• Senior guard Daisone Hughes averaged 14.5 points and five rebounds per game. Hughes led all scorers with 22 points against Alaska Anchorage, making 8 of 14 from the field and 3 of 6 from three-point range to go with five rebounds, four assists and three assists. He added a seven-point performance with five rebounds against Alaska. Hughes is averaging 4.3 points per game.

• Sophomore guard Qiant Myers averaged eight points and 7.5 assists per game. He finished with six points and 10 assists against Alaska Anchorage before reversing course with 10 points and five assists against Alaska. Myers is averaging 6.2 points per game. He ranks ninth in Division II with 6.3 assists per game and 17th with 101 total assists.

• Western Oregon enters the week averaging 73.6 points and 35.2 rebounds per game. The Wolves rank third in the GNAC with 7.94 assists per game.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington closed the first half of the conference season with a home split, falling 84-82 to Central Washington before taking a 78-60 victory over Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• Freshman forward BJ Kolly led the Vikings with averages of 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocks per game, shooting 72.7% from the field. Kolly led WWU with 18 points against Central Washington, making 8 of 12 from the field to go with seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks. He registered a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds against NNU with five blocks, shooting 8 of 10 from the field. Kolly is averaging 11.7 points per game and ranks eighth in the GNAC with 5.9 rebounds per game. He leads the conference and ranks 11th in Division II with 2.26 blocks per game.

• Junior guard D’Angelo Minnis averaged 16 points per game in the two games on 50% from the field and 60% from three-point range. Minnis scored 12 points and had five assists against Central Washington. He then led all scorers with 20 points against Northwest Nazarene on 7 of 12 from the field and 4 of 5 from outside. He also had five rebounds and three assists. Minnis ranks sixth in the GNAC in scoring at 14.1 points per game.

• Senior guard Lucas Holden averaged 13 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, finishing with 11 points and eight rebounds against Central Washington along with 15 points and three rebounds against Northwest Nazarene. Holden averages 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the season.

• Western Washington continues to lead the GNAC and ranks 12th in Division II with 86.6 points per game and is second in the conference with 38.1 rebounds per game. The Vikings rank ninth in Division II with five blocks per game and 12th with 10.4 three-pointers made per game.

• Western Washington closes out a four-game homestand this week, hosting Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

• The Wolves travel to Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday to open the second half of the conference schedule.