Feb. 9, 2008

Box Score

LACEY, Wash. - Despite having a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation, Western Washington University lost in overtime to Saint Martin's University, 85-83, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball game Saturday at the SMU Pavilion.

Forward Steve Alford (Jr., Bakersfield, CA/South) led the Vikings, who fell to 12-8 overall and 5-6 in the GNAC, with 19 points, coming off the bench for the first time this season. Western, which is 8-1 at home this season, is just 4-7 on the road.

Saint Martin's, which improved to 10-10 overall and 5-6 in the GNAC, was led by reserve Blake Poole, who had game-highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds. Guard Jake Linton added 21 points and seven assists, hitting the game-winning free throws with seven seconds left in overtime.

Western had taken a 73-69 lead on a driving layin by guard Derrick Webb (Jr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap) with 1:29 to go in regulation and a fastbreak dunk by Alford with a minute left.

Two Tyler Nixon free throws cut the margin to two with 41 seconds left. Webb made one of two free throws to push the lead back to three, 74-71, with 21 seconds to go, but Linton nailed a deep 3-pointer with 10 seconds left, forcing overtime.

The Saints led much of overtime, but Western tied the score at 83-83 on a basket by guard Andrew Ready (Jr., Chicago, IL/Westinghouse) with 37 seconds left, setting up Linton's game-winning free throws.

On Western's final possession, guard Ira Graham (Jr., Fontana, CA) attempted to drive to the basket, but was cut off and fed the ball back out to Webb, whose off-balance 3-pointer missed as time expired.

Graham finished the game with 18 points, reaching double figures for the 19th time in 20 games. Webb had 11 points and eight rebounds. The Vikings were again hurt by poor free throw shooting, making just 17-of-34 attempts (50.0 percent).

It is the first time since the 1998-99 season that Saint Martin's has swept the regular-season series against Western, as the Saints handed the Vikings their only home loss of the campaign, 71-67, on Jan. 10. Western holds a 115-59 overall advantage in the series, which began in 1920.

Poole, who entered the game averaging just six points a game, had 12 in the first 14 minutes, helping the Saints take a 29-21 lead. But the Vikings closed the half with a 15-3 run, taking a 36-32 lead at halftime.

The Vikings led by as much as 11 in the second half, using a run of eight straight points to take a 49-38 lead with 14:26 to play. Saint Martin's then clawed back, eventually regaining the lead, 59-57, on a Linton 3-pointer with 6:39 to go.

Western returns home to face nationally No.5-ranked and GNAC-leader University of Alaska Anchorage on Thursday (7 p.m.).