MONMOUTH, Ore. – The long wait is finally over. Having not played since March 2020 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, the Western Oregon University men’s basketball team will return to the court this season beginning in early November.
The Wolves went 19-8 overall and 13-7 in GNAC play in 2019-20, that included a 10-2 mark inside NPE Gym. WOU played well on the road going 9-6 overall away from Monmouth and 6-5 in true road contests. WOU picked up a big win early that season over then No. 6 ranked and now Division I Dixie State rolling to the 91-75 win in Monmouth. That was part of a five-game winning streak that vaulted the Wolves into the top-25 national rankings of the NABC coming in at No. 24.
This year’s team will have a new look, with some familiar faces.
Returners include Cameron Cranston who was second on the team in scoring at 13 points per game. He also pulled down 3.6 rebounds per game, dished out 48 assists, added 36 steals, 18 blocks, shot over 48 percent from the field and connected on 53 three-pointers in 27 games. John Morrill-Keeler is back after putting together a strong first season with the Wolves. He tallied 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, along with 18 steals, 22 blocks and shot over 59 percent from the field in 27 games. Tyreek Price returns to the back court after seeing time in 26 games during his first season in Monmouth. He averaged 4.8 points, added 11 assists, 16 steals and 30 three-pointers. Other returners include Antonio Salinas who played in 19 games, tallying 47 points, 21 rebounds, 11 assists and made 12 three-pointers, while making over 42 percent from the field. Collin Warmouth saw time in 17 games, recording 29 points, 16 rebounds and shot over 42 percent from the field. RJ Veliz also played a few games early in the season.
WOU will be without top-scorer Dalven Brushier who led the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game. He also grabbed 4.3 rebounds, dished out 79 assists, added 16 steals and shot 50 percent from the field and almost 43 percent from long range. Jaylyn Richardson also finished his career in 2019-20 and was third on the team in scoring at 12.8 points, while grabbing four rebounds per game, dished out 41 assists, added 29 steals, 15 blocks and shot over 48 percent from the field. Darius Lubom and Emanuel Gant combined to average 23.6 points per game and 10.2 rebounds in their final seasons as Wolves.
Drew Rippingham will be back this year after redshirting in the 2019-20 season.
Four players will be freshmen on the team this year in Griffin Datcher IV, Peter-Kaci Gwananji, Qiant Myers and Zach Moore. Four transfers will look to make an immediate impact for the Wolves in Yosani Clay, Daisone Hughes, Cameron Benzel and Elihu Cobb.
The season will start with an exhibition game at home on Nov. 4 against Linfield starting at 7 p.m. inside NPE Gym. The regular season will start on Nov. 12 when WOU will travel to California to face Cal State San Bernardino. The Wolves will also play Cal State Monterey Bay on the same trip the next day on Nov. 13. Both of those games will be big early regional matchups. It will be the first time WOU has faced Cal State San Bernardino since at least 2000, while the Wolves have three games against Monterey Bay since 2006, going 2-1. The first meeting went to Monterey Bay at a neutral site game and since then WOU has won the past two meetings in 2014-15 on the road and then in Monmouth in 2015-16. WOU will see a familiar face when they play Cal State San Bernardino, as Lubom transferred to play for the Coyotes.
Cal State San Bernardino went 21-8 during the 2019-20 season and picked up the last spot into the West Regional Tournament field. Cal State Monterey Bay went 10-18 in 2019-20 and opened the season that year with two GNAC teams losing to Central Washington (73-93) and defeating Concordia (OR) (97-92).
A week later, WOU travels back to California for a few more regional matchups against Cal State East Bay on Nov. 19 and Sonoma State on Nov. 20. They will also play at Humboldt State on Nov. 23. WOU and Cal State Easy Bay have played once over the past 10 years with WOU claiming a two-point win in Monmouth during the 2011-12 season. Cal State East Bay went 17-13 in 2019-20, advancing to the second round of the CCAA Conference Tournament. WOU has gone 2-1 against Sonoma State since 2004, winning the past two meetings. WOU won in Monmouth during the 2007-08 season and then the most recent meeting in 2008-09 was played at a neutral site with the Wolves winning by 17. Sonoma State went 5-22 during the 2019-20 season. WOU and Humboldt State have played 16 times since 2000, with Humboldt State holding a 9-7 edge in those meetings. The Wolves have controlled the most recent meetings, winning the past three, with two played in Monmouth and one in Arcata. The teams last played in Monmouth during the 2015-16 season with WOU rolling to the 17-point win.
WOU closes out November with a trip to Utah to compete against Fort Lewis and Westminster in Salt Lake City. Both teams are out of the RMAC. This will be the second meeting between WOU and Fort Lewis since 2008 as Fort Lewis won the only meeting that was also played in Utah. Fort Lewis went 13-15 during the 2019-20 season and then played 16 games in 2020-21 season going 7-9. WOU is 2-0 against Westminster since 2016 winning both games in neutral site matchups in St. George, Utah. The teams last played in 2018-19 with WOU taking the nine-point win. Westminster went 16-12 during the 2019-20 season and then went 9-10 during the 2020-21 season.
WOU begins GNAC play as the calendar turns to December against Alaska Fairbanks on Dec. 2 and Alaska Anchorage on Dec. 4 with both games played in Monmouth. WOU and Alaska Fairbanks played each other three times during the 2019-20 season with the Nanooks going 2-1, including a 91-88 win in the GNAC Championships. WOU has gone 12-8 at home against Alaska Fairbanks and 11-8 on the road since 2002. The Nanooks were slated to finish fourth in the GNAC Preseason Poll after going 12-18 and 10-10 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season, advancing to the second round of the GNAC Championships. The Wolves close the opening week of GNAC play against Alaska Anchorage. The teams split the 2019-20 series with each team winning on their home floors by the slimiest of margins. WOU nearly won in Anchorage before the Seawolves rallied to win in overtime by two. Then in Monmouth, WOU held of Alaska Anchorage to defend the home court by a point. WOU is 9-9 at home against the Seawolves and 5-14 on the road since 2002. Alaska Anchorage went 20-14 and 11-9 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season and advanced to the GNAC Championship game. The Seawolves were picked to finish runner-up in the GNAC Preseason Poll.
WOU closes the 2021 year playing Corban at home on Dec. 11. The Wolves are 8-3 against Corban since 2000 and have won the past eight meetings. WOU is 4-2 at home during that time. The Wolves won by 22 in the most recent meeting during the 2018-19 season in Monmouth. Corban went 13-18 during the 2019-20 season, but then went 15-3 during the 2020-21 season.
The new year starts with a return to GNAC play on the road at Saint Martin’s on Jan. 1. WOU has won the past three meetings, including both meetings in 2019-20 by a combined 63 points. WOU is 16-5 at home and 12-8 on the road against Saint Martin’s since 2001. The Saints went 6-23 and 4-16 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season. They played 12 games in 2020-21, going 2-10. Saint Martin’s was picked to finish ninth in the GNAC Preseason Poll.
WOU continues the road swing the following week playing at Montana State Billings on Jan. 6 and Seattle Pacific on Jan. 8. The Wolves have won nine straight in the series against the Yellowjackets, including both meetings in 2019-20 winning by a combined 35 points. WOU has gone 12-2 at home and 7-7 on the road in the series since 2003. The ‘Jackets were picked to finish 10th in the GNAC Preseason Poll after going 11-17 and 5-14 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season. WOU played a couple of edge of your seat games against Seattle Pacific during the 2019-20 season that the Falcons won both by a combined 11 points. The first meeting in Monmouth went to overtime after WOU nearly won the game in regulation. During the meeting in Seattle, the Falcons escaped by a point. Seattle Pacific has won the past four meetings in the series. WOU is 10-10 at home and 6-15 on the road in the series since 2001. Seattle Pacific was picked as the favorite to win the GNAC in the Preseason Poll after winning the regular season title in 2019-20 with a 22-7 overall record and 18-2 mark in GNAC play.
WOU comes back home in the middle of January to face Simon Fraser on Jan. 13 and Western Washington on Jan. 15. The Wolves have won six straight in the series against Simon Fraser, including both meetings in 2019-20. Since 2011, WOU has gone 10-0 at home and 9-1 on the road in the series. Simon Fraser was picked to finish seventh in the GNAC Preseason Poll after going 16-13 and 9-11 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season. WOU and Western Washington split their 2019-20 season meeting with each team winning at home. WOU pushed the game to overtime in Bellingham. Since 2001, WOU is 11-9 at home and 3-17 on the road in the series. The Vikings won the GNAC Championships Tournament and went 20-10 and 13-7 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season. They were picked to finish third in the GNAC Preseason Poll.
The Wolves close out the first half of the GNAC schedule on Jan. 20 at Northwest Nazarene and Jan. 22 at Central Washington. Northwest Nazarene claimed both meetings in 2019-20 by a combined seven points. Since 2001, WOU is 13-7 at home and 7-13 on the road in the series. The Nighthawks went 15-11 and 12-8 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season and then put together an impressive 2020-21 season going 13-5 and making the national tournament. They were picked to finish fifth in the GNAC Preseason Poll. WOU won both meetings against Central Washington in 2019-20 and have won nine straight in the series. Just like the series with NNU, WOU is 13-7 at home and 7-13 on the road against the Wildcats since 2001. Central Washington went 17-11 and 10-10 in GNAC play during the 2019-20 season and played six games in 2020-21, going 2-4.
The second half of the conference schedule begins on Jan. 29 when WOU hosts Saint Martin’s. WOU will also host Seattle Pacific and Montana State Billings to start February facing Seattle Pacific on Feb. 3 and Montana State Billings on Feb. 5. A pair of road games follow on Feb. 10 at Western Washington and Feb. 12 at Simon Fraser. The final two home games of the regular season arrive on Feb. 17 against Central Washington and Feb. 19 against Northwest Nazarene. The Wolves will travel to Alaska to conclude the regular season on Feb. 24 at Alaska Anchorage and Feb. 26 at Alaska Fairbanks. The GNAC Championships will take place Mar. 3-5 in Lacey, Wash.
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