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Nov. 15, 2012

Box Score

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Western Washington University had five players score 15 or more points as it defeated Chaminade University, 93-83, in a West Region men's basketball contest at McCabe Gym on the CU campus.

The defending national champion Vikings, ranked No.6 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll, stayed unbeaten at 3-0. The loss was the first in three games for Chaminade.

The Vikings were led by forward Paul Jones (Sr., Kent/Kent-Meridian) with 20 points. Center Chris Mitchell (Sr., Everson/Nooksack Valley) and forward Austin Bragg (Jr., Longview/Mark Morris) each had double-doubles in points and rebounds. Mitchell contributed 17 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, and Bragg had 15 points, 13 in the second half, and 10 rebounds.

WWU also got 17 points each off the bench from Rico Wilkins (Sr., Dallas, TX) and Cameron Severson (Sr., Petersburg, AK).

The Vikings shot well, hitting 52.4 percent from the field (33-of-63), 40.0 percent from 3-point range (8-of-20) and 76.0 percent at the free throw line (19-of-25).

Leading Chaminade with 17 points apiece were Lee Bailey and Bennie Murray. The Silverswords hit just 40.0 percent (30-of-75) from the floor, including 26.7 percent (8-of-30) from beyond the arc and 48.4 percent (15-of-31) at the charity stripe.

WWU went out to a 16-6 lead in the first 5:24 and held that same 10-point margin, 50-40, at halftime. Severson had 14 points in that period and Wilkins 13. The Vikings scored the first eight points of the second half for a 58-40 lead. They were still up by 18, 72-54, with 9:55 remaining.

Chaminade went on a 17-5 run to narrow the margin to six, 77-71, at the 5:25 mark, and were still within six, 80-74, with 3:10 to go. WWU then scored eight of the next nine points to go in front by 13, 88-75, with 1:16 left and held a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

The Vikings completed a sweep of their two games in Hawaii, winning 84-78 at BYU-Hawaii on Monday, and their 3-0 start is the best in four seasons (6-0 in 2008-09).

WWU next competes at its own Chuck Randall Thanksgiving Classic, entertaining Concordia St. Paul on Friday (7:30 p.m.), Nov. 23, and Southwest Baptist MO on Saturday (5 p.m.).