By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – On an afternoon where she led all players with 18 points, it was the final touch by Western Oregon’s Danyell Booker that propelled her team to its first-ever Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships victory with a 68-67, overtime triumph over Northwest Nazarene at Sam Carver Gym.
 
With less than six seconds left on the clock, Booker went up strong and converted a layup that tilted the score into WOU’s favor. Salma Youngblood intercepted the ensuing inbounds pass by the Nighthawks and clutched the ball as the final buzzer sounded. The Wolves have made just two previous appearances at the conference tournament, losing in the opening round in both 2011 and 2022.
 
Booker fueled the historic win, adding seven rebounds to her stat line, and first-team all-GNAC guard Kylani Rookstool played a stellar second half and overtime finishing with a season-high 12 boards and eight points in 42 minutes on the floor. It was Booker’s second-highest point total of the season, as she finished three off her personal-best of 21. It was also her fourth consecutive double-digit scoring effort and her fifth in the last six games. The fifth-seeded Wolves improved to 15-12 on the season and advanced to the semifinals, where they will face top-seed and tournament host Western Washington (23-6) on Friday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. (Pacific).
 
Northwest Nazarene moved to 17-10 with the defeat. Allie Hueckman led her team with 17 points, with Kendall Clark right behind at 15 points in Thursday’s quarterfinal. Claire Fischer shattered the GNAC tournament record with nine blocks, surpassing the mark of four blocks which had been achieved by six players.
 
In a game that featured 15 ties and 15 lead changes, each team had crucial big plays across the frantic final minutes of regulation and overtime. Booker took a huge charge with 1:31 to go in overtime to earn her team an extra possession, while NNU’s Fischer came through with a steal the next time down the court as the margin stayed at a single point.
 
The Nighthawks erased a five-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter, using a jumper by Fischer and a clutch three off the fingertips of Jene Wells to tie the game at 58-58. Sadi Clemons added a corner three on the next possession, putting the Nighthawks ahead 61-60. It was back-and-forth after that, and a Booker free throw with three seconds left in regulation tied the score at 63-63. NNU had a look to win the game at the buzzer, but a mid-range jumper by Fischer rattled out to extend the contest.
 
The WOU defense held second-team all-GNAC guard Trinidie Nichols – NNU’s leading scorer at 12.3 points per game – to just four points on Thursday. NNU finished the game shooting 43.8% (28-for-64), including a mark of 30.8% (8-for-26) from 3-point range. Freshman Kelly Garrity led her team with seven assists and three steals, while Rylie Edlefsen hit 3 of 4 threes on her way to nine points.
 
The Wolves held a dominant 46-34 edge in rebounding and outscored the Nighthawks 32-26 on points in the paint. That helped WOU overcome what was a poor overall shooting performance, as it went 24-for-71 (33.8%) including 5-for-18 (27.8%) from 3-point range.
 
Natalie Brown finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three steals and point guard Ciona Wells led her team with three assists to go along with six points and a pair of rebounds.
 
The largest swings in momentum occurred early on in the contest. Edlefsen made consecutive threes to make it 19-14 NNU with 2:30 to go in the first. Wells then drilled a corner three, and a steal by Booker led to a fastbreak bucket by Triniti Youngblood to cap a 7-0 run and give WOU a 21-19 advantage. With time winding down in the second quarter, Wells and Enid Vaifanua hit back-to-back threes to stake WOU to a 37-32 halftime advantage.
 
GAME NOTES: Fischer’s block total was tied for the fourth-most in GNAC single-game history…Western Oregon is now 1-2 all-time at the GNAC tournament, and is in search of its first conference trophy in women’s basketball…Northwest Nazarene moved to 4-10 all-time at the GNAC Championships…Thursday was the first-ever meeting between the teams at the GNAC Championships…the two teams split the regular-season series, each winning on its home floor…Rookstool’s previous season high in rebounds was eight.
 
NCAA REGIONAL RANKINGS: Northwest Nazarene entered the week ranked seventh in the latest NCAA regional rankings. The top-eight teams in the final rankings, which are announced on Sunday, will earn spots in next week’s NCAA West Region Championships hosted by the No. 1 overall seed.