BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Tournament MVP Trishi Williams had 15 points and six steals, leading nationally ranked Western Washington University to a 66-54 victory over The Evergreen State College in the final game of the 16th Annual Lynda Goodrich Women’s Basketball Classic which ended Saturday at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.
Center Britt Harris had team-highs of 17 points and six rebounds for the Vikings, who improved to 4-0 and are ranked No.9 in this week’s USA Today Sports/ESPN NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll.
The triumph marked the 450th career victory for WWU coach Carmen Dolfo. Dolfo, who is in her 22nd season, has a record of 450-169, all with the Vikings.
The contest was a non-counting exhibition for NAIA Evergreen, which was led by the game-high 20 points of center Danielle Swain.
The Geoducks led much of the first 10 minutes, and had a 23-20 lead with 6:21 left in the first half, but WWU went on an 11-2 run the rest of the half and held a 31-25 advantage at halftime.
The margin got as close as five in the second half, and the Vikings led by just eight, 49-41, before going on a 7-1 run to take a 56-42 lead on a Jenni White (So., Spokane/East Valley) 3-pointer with 7:50 remaining. The margin remained in double figures the rest of the way.
Kayla Bernsen had 10 points and five rebounds for WWU on 5-of-5 field goal shooting. The Vikings shot a season-low 37.1 percent (23-of-62) from the field, but were 16-of-20 (80.0 percent) on free throws.
It was the 10th straight victory in Goodrich Classic games for the Vikings, who have won 29 of 32 tourney games overall, and have now won or tied for 14 of the 16 tournament championships.
Harris joined Williams on the all-tournament team, as did Jessica Denmon of Evergreen, Chelsea Haskey and Brooke Paulson of St. Martin’s, and Torrie Cahill of Carroll. Saint Martin’s defeated Carroll, 59-48, in Saturday’s other contest.
WWU opens Great Northwest Athletic Conference play next week, entertaining Western Oregon on Thursday (7 p.m.), Nov. 29, and Saint Martin’s on Saturday (7 p.m.), Dec. 1.
Story Courtesy of Paul Madison, WWU Sports Information