BIG BEND men 79, Walla Walla 70

MOSES LAKE - Despite shooting only 29 percent from beyond the

arc and 41 percent from the field for the game, the Big Bend

Vikings basketball team found a way to gut out a key 79-70 win over

Walla Walla CC on Saturday evening at the Peter DeVries Activity

Center.

BIG BEND men 79, Walla Walla 70

MOSES LAKE - Despite shooting only 29 percent from beyond the arc and 41 percent from the field for the game, the Big Bend Vikings basketball team found a way to gut out a key 79-70 win over Walla Walla CC on Saturday evening at the Peter DeVries Activity Center.

The win moved Big Bend to 14-4 overall and 6-1 in Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) East Division play.

The Vikings, despite numerous injuries this season, have now won six straight games after a loss at the College of Spokane, to take the top spot in the East at the midway point of the schedule.

"But we know we have to continue to improve in our consistency of play on both the defensive and offensive ends of the court," Big Bend head coach Mark Poth said

Big Bend broke out to a big 16-1 lead in the game's early moments before Walla Walla made a run to cut the gap to 37-29 by halftime.

The Vikings' guests continued their big run of play and took a five-point lead early in the second half before Big Bend decided it was time to get serious.

"Our team made a run to regain the lead and were able to hold off Walla Walla down the stretch," Poth said. "I was proud of our team's effort and their ability to regain the momentum of the game, Walla Walla made a great run and I was very pleased that we were able to make some key plays on both ends of the court to earn a victory." 

Ben Olayinka led Big Bend with 23 points and 10 rebounds while four other players - Spencer Pingel (16 points), Blake Skidmore (15 points), John Buhler (13 points), and Hayes Garrity (10 points) - hit in double figures.

Brandon Brooke also had 10 rebounds for Big Bend, who outrebounded Walla Walla 47-36.