Spokane Sasquatch roll past Big Bend

MOSES LAKE — The Vikings couldn’t overcome a four-point halftime deficit as Big Bend dropped their Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges men’s basketball contest 65-56 to division leader Spokane Wednesday night.

The Vikings fell to 3-5 in NWAACC East Division play and 11-10 overall. The loss was Big Bend’s second of the season to the Spokane Sasquatch. The Vikings fell 75-70 on Jan. 10 in Spokane.

The Big Bend defense pressured the Spokane offense all night, forcing the Sasquatch to commit 21 turnovers which the Vikings would convert into 16 points Wednesday night. The Sasquactch managed to score only nine points Wednesday night off of 20 Big Bend turnovers.

In addition to Big Bend’s ability to convert Spokane turnovers into points Wednesday night, the Vikings dominated the glass. Big Bend crashed the offensive boards Wednesday night, converting 18 offensive rebounds into 21 second chance points and a 43-36 rebound advantage. Big Bend’s defense held Spokane to only five second-chance points on only nine offensive rebounds, but it was not enough to overcome the Sasquatch.

The difference in Wednesday night’s contest was Spokane’s superior performance from the behind the 3-point line. Spokane was 5-for-20 from behind the 3-point line, while the Vikings were only 2-for-19.

The Sasquatch also doubled up the Vikings in points from the bench. Spokane had 32 bench points, while the Vikings were held to 16.

The Vikings got a game high 24 points from Jeff Ranstrom and 13 points from Josh Schouman.

Big Bend returns to the court Saturday afternoon when they travel to Yakima Valley to take on the Yaks at 4 p.m.