Box Score

DAVID ARNOLD POSTGAME                   PHOTO GALLERY

BILLINGS, Mont. – The No. 5 Western Washington University men's basketball team picked up its 18th straight win at Montana State University Billings Saturday, 95-80.

The Vikings (12-0, 3-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) turned 21 MSUB turnovers into 31 points. WWU had 15 steals in the game, the most by an opponent in the Jamie Stevens' era at MSU Billings. Western Washington finished 58 percent from the field, and 7-of-13 from behind-the-arc. It was also 16-for-28 from the free-throw line.

Western Washington's 18th straight victory over the last two seasons, matches the longest in league history set by Alaska Anchorage during the 2007-08 campaign. The start and streak are both the second best in WWU history.

John Allen had 16 of his game-high 25 points in the second half to lead four WWU double-digit scorers. The senior finished 10-of-20 from the field. Rico Wilkins and Richard Woodworth both added 15 points. Wilkins recorded five steals, matching another high by an opponent under Stevens. Woodworth dished out a game-high seven assists. Cameron Severson chipped in 14 points. Anye Turner grabbed seven rebounds.

“First off all credit goes to Western Washington, that's a great team,” Stevens said. “There's a reason why they've won 18 straight games and are defending national champions. All congratulations go to them. We turned the ball over more than we have all year, and against a team like that you can't do that. We didn't make shots and they won the game pure and simple.”

In a game that featured six ties and seven lead changes, the score was not indicative of the entirety of the contest. Montana State Billings led by as many as four points early in the contest, including the last, 16-12, at the 13:08 mark of the first half. The teams then traded the lead until WWU built its largest lead of the opening stanza, 38-28, with 3:33 remaining in the half. The Vikings held a 41-34 advantage at halftime.

The Yellowjackets scored the first five points of the second half, but fell behind by seven again three minutes into the half. The sixth tie of the game came eight minutes into the second half, 56-56, after a three-pointer from MSUB's David Arnold. WWU responded with a 14-4 run to take a 70-60 lead with 9:56 remaining in regulation. Not to be outdone, MSU Billings answered with an 11-0 run capped by another Arnold three-pointer.

Montana State Billings had a 73-72 lead with 7:41 remaining in regulation, but the Vikings responded with 20 unanswered points over the next six minutes, closing the game on a 23-7 run.

Arnold scored a career-high 24 points for the Yellowjackets (8-7, 1-3 GNAC). The senior was 10-for-15 from the field, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc. Jarrell Crayton recorded his third double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Cameron Cusworth added 11 points. MSUB shot 46 percent from the field, made nine of its 26 three-pointers, and went 9-of-13 from the free-throw line.

Western Washington's last loss came to Montana State Billings in the GNAC Tournament semifinals on March 2, 2012. The Vikings avenged that loss behind a 10-0 fastbreak point advantage, and a 38-30 lead in the paint. WWU committed 14 turnovers and was outrebounded 35-30.

After a five-game home-stand, the Yellowjackets next home game is not until Jan. 24. And, after hosting the nation's fifth-ranked team, MSUB travels to No. 7 Seattle Pacific next Saturday. Montana State Billings has not won at SPU since Jan. 16, 1987. Live video and stats from the game will be available on MSUBSports.com.

MSUB – WESTERN WASHINGTON POSTGAME NOTES
- It was the 18th meeting between the programs.
- Western Washington has won 15 of the 18.
- MSU Billings has won two of the seven meetings in Alterowitz, and is 0-8 at Western Washington.
- Western Washington's 18th straight victory over the last two seasons, matches the longest in league history set by Alaska Anchorage during the 2007-08 campaign.
- WWU's start and streak are both the second best in program history.
- WWU had 15 steals in the game, the most by an opponent in the Jamie Stevens' era at MSU Billings.
- Wilkins recorded five steals, matching another high by an opponent under Stevens.
- David Arnold's 24 points were a career-high.
- It was only the third time in 20 occasions under Jamie Stevens where MSUB lost despite outrebounding its opponent.
- The Yellowjackets' 21 turnovers matched a season-high with the 21 against Montana Western.
- Jarrell Crayton became the first Yellowjacket to grab 15 rebounds since Robert Mayes did against Seattle Pacific on Feb. 18, 2012.
- John Allen's 25 points matched a high by an MSUB opponent this season.

Western Washington vs MSU Billings
01/05/13 7 p.m. at Billings, Mont.
At Billings, Mont.
WESTERN WASHINGTON 95, MSU BILLINGS 80
WESTERN WASHINGTON (12-0, 3-0 GNAC)
Allen,John 10-20 2-2 25; Woodworth,Richard 5-11 4-4 15; Wilkins,Rico 4-5 6-7
15; Severson,Cameron 7-10 0-1 14; Jones,Paul 3-6 2-4 9; Turner,Anye 4-4 1-2
9; Mitchell,Chris 3-5 0-6 7; Bragg,Austin 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 36-62 16-28 95.
MSU BILLINGS (8-7, 1-3 GNAC)
Arnold,David 10-15 1-1 24; Crayton,Jarrell 5-12 2-4 12; Cusworth,Cameron 4-7
0-0 11; Johnson,Sam 4-11 1-2 9; McDade,Omar 3-10 0-0 7; Hatcher,Kalob 1-5
2-2 5; Wallace,Devon 1-1 3-4 5; Trabing,Robby 2-3 0-0 4; Ridgeway,Brian 1-3
0-0 3. Totals 31-67 9-13 80.
Western Washington............   41   54  -   95
MSU Billings..................   34   46  -   80
3-point goals--Western Washington 7-13 (Allen,John 3-7; Wilkins,Rico 1-1;
Woodworth,Richard 1-2; Jones,Paul 1-1; Mitchell,Chris 1-2), MSU Billings
9-26 (Cusworth,Cameron 3-5; Arnold,David 3-5; McDade,Omar 1-7; Hatcher,Kalob
1-5; Ridgeway,Brian 1-3; Johnson,Sam 0-1). Fouled out--Western
Washington-None, MSU Billings-None. Rebounds--Western Washington 30
(Turner,Anye 7), MSU Billings 35 (Crayton,Jarrell 15). Assists--Western
Washington 14 (Woodworth,Richard 7), MSU Billings 16 (Hatcher,Kalob 4;
Arnold,David 4). Total fouls--Western Washington 16, MSU Billings 21.
Technical fouls--Western Washington-None, MSU Billings-TEAM. A-315
Western Washington ranked No. 5 in NABC NCAA Div. II Top 25 poll
Western Washington's 18th straight victory