Forward Cameron Severson came off the bench to score a game-high 16 points on 6-of-7 floor accuracy in just 16 minutes as nationally ranked Western Washington University stayed unbeaten with a 76-60 win over Saint Martin's University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball contest Thursday at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
The defending NCAA Division II national champion Vikings, ranked No. 2 for the fourth straight time in this week's Top 25, improved to 23-0 with their 29th straight victory. Both the start and streak are school and conference records. WWU leads the GNAC at 14-0.
It was the 22nd straight win for WWU at Carver Gym, breaking the school mark set during the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons. The Vikings are 12-0 at home this season.
Saint Martin's fell to 7-14 overall and 3-10 in league play. Will Bond and Lucas Shannon each had 14 points for the Saints, who have dropped six of their last seven games.
The Vikings had claimed a 48-point victory, 104-56, earlier in the season, but on Thursday, the Saints led much of the first half, holding a 29-21 lead with seven minutes left in the period. WWU then went on a run of 12 straight points, six of them by Severson, to take a 33-29 lead, and kept the advantage the rest of the half, leading 40-33 at the intermission.
Saint Martin's twice pulled within five early in the second half, but the Vikings ran off eight straight points, the last six on one dunk by Chris Mitchell and two by Austin Bragg. That pushed the margin to 50-37 with 16 minutes left, and the gap was never less than eight after that.
Guard John Allen had 15 points and five assists for WWU. Bragg had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and forward Paul Jones added 10points and a game-high 12 boards.
The victory was the 18th by double digits for the Vikings this season.
WESTERN WASHINGTON 76, SAINT MARTIN'S 60
SAINT MARTIN'S (7-14, 3-10 GNAC)
Shannon,Lucas 14; Bond,Will 14; Taylor,Eric 11; Jensen,Rei 9; Coulter,Evan 6; Bomber,Brady 2; O'Neill,Roger 2; Norman,Brad 2; Stoney,Garrett 0; Karnofski,Kyle 0. Totals 22-65 14-18 60.
WESTERN WASHINGTON (23-0, 14-0 GNAC)
Severson,Cameron 16; Allen,John 15; Bragg,Austin 14; Jones,Paul 10; Mitchell,Chris 8; Woodworth,Richard 8; Wilkins,Rico 3; Fisher,Damien 2; Oliver,Robert 0; Turner,Anye 0; Thorpe,Dane 0; Davis,Alfred 0. Totals 31-67 12-17 76.
Half: WWU 40, SM 33
3-point goals--Saint Martin's 2-17 (Bond,Will 1; Taylor,Eric 1), Western Washington 2-14 (Severson,Cameron 1; Wilkins,Rico 1). Fouled out-Saint Martin's-None, Western Washington-None. Rebounds--Saint Martin's 33 (Jensen,Rei 10), Western Washington 48 (Jones,Paul 12). Assists-Saint Martin's 11 (Bomber,Brady 5), Western Washington 16 (Allen,John 5). Total fouls--Saint Martin's 17, Western Washington 15. Technical fouls-Saint Martin's-None, Western Washington-None. A-1062
