Western Oregon Men Back Home; Host UAF, UAA This Week

The Wolves are 5-10 overall, and 0-4 in GNAC action.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

MONMOUTH - The Western Oregon men’s basketball team played the two teams predicted to fight it out for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title, falling on the road to Seattle Pacific (86-74) and Central Washington (70-65) on Thursday and Saturday respectively.

The Wolves led at the half against SPU and were within two points with 16 seconds left in Ellensburg before succumbing to both squads.

The Wolves will finally get to play a conference game at home, hosting the Alaska schools on Thursday and Saturday.

WOU had to open the GNAC season with its first four games on the road, the only team in the conference to draw such bad luck.

Coach Craig Stanger and team will look forward to playing in the friendly confines of the Physical Education Building, where they are 3-0 this season -- 4-0 counting an exhibition win over Concordia.

Thursday, Western Oregon (5-10 overall, 0-4 GNAC) vs. Alaska Fairbanks (11-6 overall, 2-1 GNAC), 7:00 PM, Physical Education Building.

Saturday, Western Oregon vs. Alaska Anchorage (11-3 overall, 2-1 GNAC), 7:00 PM, Physical Education Building.

Nanooks And Seawolves:

Two teams that enjoyed tremendous pre-seasons will take their first road trips of the year when traveling to Monmouth and Saint Martin’s this week.

Alaska Fairbanks has won five of its last six contests in moving out to 11-6 on the season and 2-1 in GNAC play.

The Nanooks have the GNAC’s leading scorer (20.7) and rebounder (9.8) in senior transfer Jushay Rockett, a 6-5, 235-pound forward from Texas State.

Rockett potted 33 points in a game versus BYU-Hawaii this year, also had 32 against division I Weber State.

Kenny Barker (Jr., 6-3) adds 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists a game.

Four of UAF’s six losses this season are to division I teams.

The Nanooks lead the GNAC with 80.8 points a game and they’re also tops in the conference in rebounding with a +6.6 margin.

Alaska Fairbanks has won the last six meetings between the Nanooks and the Wolves, and UAF leads the all-time series, 11-6.

Alaska Anchorage was ranked 26th nationally in last week’s NABC poll, and carries an 11-3 overall mark into this week.

The Seawolves have won six of their last seven contests, with the only blip coming on Jan. 4th during a 68-65 loss to Seattle Pacific.

UAA leads the GNAC in three-point percentage (.420) and they are second in steals (8.35 per game).

Guard Eric Draper (Sr., 6-2), who did not start a game for the 2006 Seawolves, leads the 2007 team with a 15.6 scoring average.

Carl Arts (Jr., 6-6) adds 15.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists, while Eastern Wyoming transfer McCade Olsen adds 10 points a game off the bench.

Other than UAA’s loss to SPU, its only other setbacks have been to division I squads Loyola Marymount and Hofstra.

The Wolves and Seawolves split games in 2005-06, and WOU leads the all-time series, 10-6.

By The Numbers:

WOU’s Mitchell leads the Wolves with a 17.7 scoring average and 5.7 rebounds a game.

He posted a season-best 33 counters against Cal State Monterey Bay on Dec. 16th. He is shooting 60.5 percent from the field (107-177).

Ryan Schmidt (6-7, 210), a junior transfer from Hawaii, adds 16.8 ppg and a 5.1 boards a contest. He has also nailed 34 of 75 three-point attempts (.453) in 15 games. He had a season-high 39 points in four overtimes against Cal State Monterey Bay.

Sophomore Travis Kuhns (6-8, 200) averages 8.4 points an outing and 5.3 rebounds, while senior point guard Alex Swerzbin (6-0, 190) is averaging 7.4 points and 5.0 assists. The Hawaii Pacific transfer has been in double figure assist totals twice this season, and has converted 25 of his 28 free throw attempts (.893).

Dominique DeWeese posts 7.7 points a game and is third on the team in assists with 25.

Conference Calculations:

In GNAC statistics, Jacob Mitchell is fourth in the league in scoring (17.7) and third in field goal percentage (.605).

Ryan Schmidt is seventh in scoring (16.8), fifth in three-point percentage (.453) and fifth in three-pointers per game (2.27).

Alex Swerzbin is fourth in assists (5.0), while Brad Krichevsky is third in steals (2.13).

Travis Kuhns is seventh in the conference in blocked shots (0.93).

Probable Starters:

F- 24 Jacob Mitchell (6-7, 235, Sr., Olympia, Wash.)

F- 30 Travis Kuhns (6-8, 200, So., Salem, Ore.)

F- 3 Ryan Schmidt (6-7, 210, Jr., Keizer, Ore.)

G- 5 Alex Swerzbin (6-0, 190, Sr., Portland, Ore.)

G- 20 Dominque DeWeese (6-3, 175, Sr., Portland, Ore.)

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports