KIRKLAND, Wash. — With a free throw with 1:37 remaining in the game, senior Andrew Vaughan reached 1,000 career points for the Walla Walla Men's Basketball team, but the Wolves dropped a Cascade Conference contest to Northwest 79-63 on Saturday.

The loss dropped the Walla Walla season record to 1-5 overall and 1-2 in CCC play.

Vaughan joins Tristan Greenidge, Zayne Browning and KiAndre Gaddy as the only WWU players to amass at least 1,000 points for Walla Walla since the Wolves joined the NAIA for the 2009-10 season.

"Very happy for Andrew," Walla Walla coach Brandon Broome said. "He's worked very hard, enduring many obstacles along the way from COVID to a pretty significant injury to his shooting hand. This milestone is well deserved."

The Portland, Ore., native finished the day with 13 points and two steals.

Sophomore Soren Dalan played a team-high 35 minutes and was busy inside with a double-double. Dalan led the Wolves with 21 points and 14 rebounds, with seven of those rebounds coming on the offensive side of the ball.

"Hard fought game in a great environment," Broome said. "We left a lot of points on the free throw line and couldn't find the stroke from deep tonight. Very happy with our energy this weekend. The team is gelling well."

Walla Walla had 15 offensive rebounds and only turned the ball over eight times in the loss.

"Thank you to all the Wolves fans who came out this weekend and gave us a boost," Broome said."

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Wolves trailed 3-0 before Vaughan got WWU on the board with a jumper. Dalan followed it up with a layup to give Walla Walla an early lead. Almonds Sebirokwa and Dalan combined to score the next eight points for the Wolves before Dillon Wasser connected on a shot and WWU had a 16-12 lead with 12:28 to go in the first half.

Steele Twiford ended a 12-0 run by Northwest with a layup, but the Eagles would add five more to their lead before Walla Walla called a timeout down 29-18. The two teams traded baskets the rest of the first half with Vaughan getting the final basket for the Wolves. Walla Walla trailed by 10 at the break.

Northwest extended the lead to 14 early in the second half, but the Wolves did not quit. Dalan completed a three-point play, Kekoa Beard hit a 3-pointer and a jumper to cut the lead to six. It was as close as Walla Walla would get in the second half.

The latter part of the game turned into free throw practice for the Wolves as their final eight points came from the line.

UP NEXT

Walla Walla will finally get to play at home this season when the team hosts Lewis-Clark State at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Windemuth Court.