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March 7, 2010

NCAA II West Regional - Official Site

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University men's basketball team is the No.1 seed in the West Regional of the NCAA Division II National Tournament to be held March 12-13 and 15 on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.

The Vikings, 25-5 overall, placed second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 12-4. Although the eight West Region teams are set, their seeding, and thus Western's opening-round opponent, will not be announced until Tuesday morning after Monday's BYU-Hawaii versus Hawaii Pacific game, which was postponed by tsunami warnings Feb. 27.

Also in the regional from the GNAC are Seattle Pacific University (22-5) and Central Washington University (16-9). Representing the California Collegiate Athletic Association are tournament champion Cal State San Bernardino (22-7), Cal Poly Pomona (22-6), and Humboldt State University (22-7). From the Pacific West Conference are Dixie State University (20-5) and BYU-Hawaii (19-5).

It is the second consecutive year Western has been an NCAA II tournament host. Last year the Vikings hosted a sub-regional as the No.2 seed in the West, falling to Seattle Pacific, 82-77, in the opening round.

Western had been No.2 in the region behind Seattle Pacific in the final regular-season rating Mar. 3. But the Falcons dropped a pair of games in Alaska over the weekend, opening the door for the Vikings to host.

Western has six seniors, five of whom start, and the top three scorers all played together at Highline Community College.

Forward Derrick Webb (Port Orchard/South Kitsap) leads the Vikings in scoring at 16.1 points a game and is second in rebounding at 6.1 a contest. Guard Morris Anderson (Federal Way) averages 14.7 points and a team-high 5.2 assists. Anderson leads the GNAC in steals (2.4 avg.) and free-throw percentage (86.7 percent), hitting a school-record 39 consecutive free throws earlier this season. Forward Zach Bruce (Oceanside, CA) averages 10.7 points and team-high 6.4 rebounds, and is shooting 55.1 percent from the field.

Completing the starting lineup are guard Andrew Ready (Chicago, IL/Westinghouse), who contributes 8.1 points; and 7-foot center Dave Vanderjagt (Townsville, Australia), who averages 5.5 points and a team-high 1.0 blocks.

The sixth senior, guard Harold McAllister, averages 6.7 points while shooting 51.4 percent on 3-pointers (37-of-72), and sophomore forward Rory Blanche (Ashland, OR) averages 8.4 points in just 18 minutes a game off the bench.

Western coach Brad Jackson is in his 25th season, with a career record of 470-262. He entered the season ranked No.18 among active NCAA II coaches in career victories, and No.38 in winning percentage (64.2).

This is the fifth NCAA tournament appearance for the Vikings, and the fourth time Western has been at home for the post-season. The Vikings won the West Regional and eventually reached the national semifinals in 2001, and also earned tourney berths in 2005, 2006 and 2009.

Although the pairings will not be announced until Tuesday, Western's most likely opponent is arch-rival Central Washington, which was eighth in Wednesday's rankings. Western defeated the Wildcats twice this season, claiming an 84-70 triumph at Ellensburg on Jan. 23, then winning, 90-86, in Bellingham on Feb. 28 in a contest televised live by FSN Northwest.

The Vikings are 13-1 at home this season, losing only to Seattle Pacific, 73-66, on Jan. 21. The Falcons won the GNAC with a 13-3 record.

Cal Poly Pomona is the defending regional champion, reaching the NCAA II national title game last season. The Broncos, who tied with Humboldt State for first-place in the CCAA regular-season standings, lost the championship game of the CCAA tournament Saturday to Cal State San Bernardino, 58-52.

The winners of the opening-round games meet in semifinal contests Saturday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the regional championship Monday at 7 p.m. The winner there advances to the NCAA II Elite Eight at Springfield, Mass., on March 24-25, 27.

Tickets for the West Regional go on sale Tuesday at 11 a.m. They can be purchased by calling 360-650-2583 or on-line at www.wwuvikings.com. Reserved tickets are $10, general admission is $8 and student/youth/senior/WWU faculty with ID are $5. Tickets are good all day on multiple-game dates.

2010 NCAA DIVISION II WEST REGIONAL

host Western Washington University
Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium
Bellingham, Wash.

March 12 (Fri.)
Game #1 - No.3 seed vs. No.6 seed - 12:30 p.m.
Game #2 - No.2 seed vs. No.7 seed - 2:30 p.m.
Game #3 - No.4 seed vs. No.5 seed - 5:30 p.m.
Game #4 - No.1 seed vs. No.8 seed - 7:30 p.m.

March 13 (Sat.)
Game #5 - Winner Game #1 vs. Winner Game #2 - 5 p.m.
Game #6 - Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4 - 7 p.m.

March 15 (Mon.)
Game #7 - Winner Game #5 vs. Winner Game #6 - 7 p.m.

Home team is highest seed in each game

NCAA II ELITE EIGHT

March 24-25, 27 (Wed., Thu., Sat.)
at Springfield, Mass. (MassMutual Center)
host American International College and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Ticket Information 413-787-6600 or 800-639-8602

WWU NCAA II APPEARANCES:

2001

West Regional at Bellingham, Wash.
Defeated Cal State Bakersfield, 95-86 in overtime, in semifinals
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 58-55, in final

Elite Eight at Bakersfield, Calif.
Defeated Queens, 89-85, in quarterfinals
Lost to Washburn, 96-90, in semifinals

2005

West Regional at Bellingham, Wash.
Defeated Brigham Young-Hawaii, 80-69, in first round
Lost to Alaska Fairbanks, 88-66, in semifinals

2006

West Regional at Seattle, Wash.
Defeated Humboldt State, 100-86, in first round
Defeated Chaminade, 101-91, in semifinals
Lost to Seattle Pacific, 81-77, in final

2009

West Sub-Regional at Bellingham, Wash.
Lost to Seattle Pacific, 82-77, in first round