ROSEBURG – At a time when the Roseburg boys basketball team was trying to build momentum for a late playoff push, the Indians suffered their worst loss of the Southwest Conference season.

The visiting Willamette Wolverines exploded offensively in the second half to outscore Roseburg 46-24 and pull away for a 67-41 win on Friday night.

The two teams played a closely contested first half, with both offenses struggling. Both sides traded the lead back-and-forth through the first quarter and neither team led by more than two. The game remained tight in the second quarter, but Willamette pulled ahead by four late in the first half for their largest lead before the break.

Things got out of hand quickly in the third quarter. Willamette guard Seth Skeele hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Wolverines start to pull away. The Indians trailed 34-21 going to the fourth quarter after managing only four points in the third.

Willamette (10-11; 6-4 SWC) just kept scoring in the fourth quarter and held it’s largest lead of the contest when the final buzzer sounded.

Skeele scored a game-high 21 points to lead Willamette and sophomore Luke Burke added 15 points for the Wolverines.

Roseburg (5-16; 2-7 SWC) did not have a player finish in double figures. Leading the way was Luke Lucido and Collin Warmouth, who each scored nine points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

With the loss, Roseburg has fallen to far behind in the standings to receive an automatic berth in the state playoffs as one of the top four teams in the Southwest Conference. North Medford, South Eugene, Sheldon, and Willamette have all secured an automatic playoff berth.

Roseburg’s only hope of a post season bid would be to move up in the rankings enough to get an at-large bid to a play-in game. The Indians would need to be in the top 36 of the rankings and currently sit at No. 48.

Up next for Roseburg is a road contest at league-leading North Medford on Tuesday. The Black Tornado suffered their first league loss of the season 62-54 at South Eugene on Friday.

WILLAMETTE; 8; 13; 13; 33 – 67
ROSEBURG; 7; 10; 4; 20 – 41

WILLAMETTE (67) – Seth Skeele 21; L. Burke 15; Cross 12; N. Burke 8; Bridge-Eiler 4; Pickering 3; Penn 2; Reichenberger 2; Lavassaur; Trim; Stricker

ROSEBURG (41) – Luke Lucido 9; Collin Warmouth 9; Crince 6; Johnson 6; M. Stone 4; J. Stone 4; Lake 3; Seely;; Lookabaugh; Christner; Jacks