Sports - Sports News

POSTED: Thursday, Jan. 08, 2009

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Vikings open GNAC with win

BELLINGHAM - In the Western Washington University men's basketball team's most important game so far this season, Morris Anderson's shots weren't falling.

The junior guard is the fourth-leading scorer for the Vikings, but against visiting Montana State Billings, he was 0 for 9. Despite the lack of points, in the end it came down to Anderson's performance from the free-throw line. Anderson hit five free throws to lift the Vikings to a 72-67 victory on Thursday, Jan. 8, at Carver Gym, in both team's Great Northern Athletic Conference openers.

"I just needed to make them in order to win," said Anderson who also had six assists and six rebounds. "Shots didn't fall. If I had shot free throws during the first half, maybe my shot would have been better. But I just wasn't that warm. I just knew I had to hit the free throws."

With a 67-64 lead with less than a minute to play, Anderson was sent to the foul line. He made 1 of 2 for a four point lead. But MSUB's Michael Hall hit a 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining to pull within one.

Hall re-sent Anderson back to the line, where he made two more freebies with 21 seconds on the clock.

Western's Calin Schell blocked the Yellowjackets' final shot attempt and Anderson again returned to the line where he scored his final of five in a row to finish 9 for 10 from the line.

"Mo struggled all night from the floor, but stepped up when he needed to from the line and that was great," Western coach Brad Jackson said.

Schell led the Vikings with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Steve Alford and David Brittinen chipped in 15 and 13 points, respectively, off the bench. Brittinen was 6 for 8 from the floor.

Western improved to 8-2 overall and 6-0 at Carver Gym, while MSUB fell to 5-7.

The Vikings started the game behind and didn't take the lead until Anthony Wiederkehr hit a 3-pointer for a 21-19 advantage. The Yellowjackets never reclaimed the lead - but came very close.

MSUB ended the first half on a 5-0 run to cut Western's lead to 42-38. The Yellowjackets out-rebounded their host 20-14 before the break, with seven offensive boards.

They also aren't afraid to shoot the 3-ball. MSUB hit 10 3-pointers on the night, led by Hall's six. He finished with a game-high 23 points.

"We really put some distance between the two teams and then they made a great run," Jackson said. "They have some excellent shooters and anytime you shoot the ball from the 3 like that, it's going to make it tough."

The Vikings went 0 for 7 from 3-point land in the second half. Western's leading scorer Ira Graham, who averaged 17.7 points per game entering Thursday's contest, was held to just eight points. But the senior had four steals and three assists.

Western shot 55 percent from the floor the first half, but fell to 35 percent after the half.

"In this league, it's tough," Jackson said. "We just have to get a little sharper."

The Vikings have their final non-conference game on Saturday, Jan. 10, at Carver Gym against Golden State Baptist College.

Reach Somer Breeze at somer.breeze@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2285.

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