UMW Men’s Basketball Defeats Evergreen 76-61 Sunday Afternoon

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | October 26, 2025 | Claire Gay

Olympia, Wash. – The UMW men's basketball program (1-0) opened the 2025-26 season with a comfortable 76-61 win over Evergreen (0-1) Sunday. It marks the sixth straight year that the Bulldogs have won their season opener, going back to

The 2020-21 season.

"Proud of our guys for finding a way to win on the road when we didn't shoot the ball very well," head coach Patrick Jensen said. "We won the turnover and rebound battle and that got us the win today.

Western shot 36.2 percent (25-69) from the field, 35.1 percent (13-37) from beyond the arc, and 68.4 percent (13-19) from the foul line in the contest.

The Bulldogs held the statistical advantage in rebounds (41-31), assists (10-8), steals (8-3), and blocks (3-2). They also forced 17 turnovers from the Geoducks while committing 13 themselves.

The two sides each scored 18 points in the paint, but UMW outscored Evergreen in points off turnovers (23-18), second-chance points (12-5), fast break points (4-2), and bench points (31-19).

Kyle Gruhler went off for a game-high 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-11 from downtown. He drained all six free-throw attempts and added a game-best seven rebounds and two assists.

Emanuel Steward was also in double figures for Western with 13 points, 12 of which came from three. Other Bulldogs on the scoresheet include Quincy Taylor (eight), Billy Carlson (seven), Jacksen Burckley (six), Kolter Merritt (four), David Young (four), and Jacob Ankeny (three).

Ankeny was second on the team in rebounds (six) and also tallied one block and one steal. Carlson dished out a game-best three assists in the contest while Mark Huber posted two.

Merrit and Burckley shared the game-high with two steals apiece while Merritt led outright in blocks with two.

Two quick threes by Kenzel Massey put the hosts up six to start the game, but the Red and Black went on an 11-0 run of their own to take the lead. Both teams swapped the lead a few more times before a three from Steward put the Bulldogs up for good. They built the cushion to as many as 11 over the rest of the period, leading by nine, 39-30, at the half.

The Geoducks never got closer than 10 in the second half. Western increased their lead to as many as 18 late in the frame and cruised to the 15-point victory. Seven Bulldogs scored in the half, including 13 from Gruhler.

The Geoducks shot 42.3 percent from the floor (11-27), 31.6 percent (6-19) from three, and 73.3 percent (11-15) at the line in the game. Tony Frohlich-Fair paced the team with 23 points while Massey added 10. Frolich-Fair also led the team in rebounds (six) followed by Jemoi Davis (five). Jayson Mathews earned a team-best two assists. Massey, Tyler No, and Zach Jefferson each recorded a steal in the game while Jefferson and Amari Jackson swatted one block apiece.  

LOOKING AHEAD

Western returns to Straugh Gymnasium Oct. 30-31 when they host the Montana Western Tournament. UMW welcomes Montana Tech, Warner Pacific, and Southern Oregon to Dillon for four games over the two days.