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Win would give Western automatic berth in NCAA II West Regional

During her illustrious 20-year career as head women's basketball coach at Western Washington University, Carmen Dolfo has seen her team cut down the nets following a conference, district or regional championship just once at Sam Carver Gymnasium. That was 15 years ago when the Vikings won the NAIA District 1 title in 1996.

On Saturday, she gets another opportunity as top-seeded Western hosts University of Alaska Anchorage in the championship game of the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament, which tips off at 7 p.m. The contest can be heard live on KBAI Radio (930 AM - Bellingham) and viewed on the internet at .

The GNAC champion earns an automatic berth in the West Regional of the NCAA Division II National Tournament and a Western win could also mean hosting that event.

The Vikings, 26-2, reached the GNAC final with a 76-49 semifinal win Wednesday over Montana State Billings. They are unbeaten at home in 13 games this season (also 13-0 in 2009-10) and their 26-game winning streak at Carver Gym is just three away from the school record of 29 set from 1983 to 1986.

Western opened the tournament Monday with a 73-60 win over No.8 seed Simon Fraser. The Vikings earned the No.1-seed and home court advantage throughout the eight-team, single-elimination tournament by placing first in the regular-season standings at 17-1.

Alaska Anchorage (25-6), the No.2 seed, has lost just twice in its last 13 games, both times to Western. The Seawolves overcame a 19-point deficit to edge No.3-seed Seattle Pacific, 68-66, on Wednesday following a 64-50 victory over Northwest Nazarene on Monday.

Western fell five places to No.11 in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II Top 25 and dropped to No.2 in the latest regional rating after having a 19-game winning streak, which tied for the second-longest in school history, snapped in a 71-63 loss at Seattle Pacific to end the regular season. UAA is ranked No.16 nationally and No.6 regionally.

Western's only other defeat this season was 65-62 overtime to No.17 Chico State on Dec. 10.

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