Box Score ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Feb. 21) — Seniors
Dom Williams and
Julian Vaughn were honored before their final games in Nicholson Pavilion. Then the two honorees went out and combined to score 35 points in leading Central Washington University (16-7, 11-5 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) to a 75-66 win over the visiting University of Alaska (6-18, 3-13 GNAC).
Williams scored 27 of those points. It was the 13th time he's topped 20 or more points in a game this season.
"I knew I was going to lead this team to a victory [tonight]." Williams stated. "Every night's my Senior Night. Every night I've got to give it my all. I want to become a pro, so I've got to show everybody what I can do."
Vaughn added eight points, along with his usual contributions on the defensive end and rebounding.
"I just wanted to leave it all out on the floor for my last game in the Pavilion," Vaughn acknowledged. "This season is going by so fast. I tried to go about everything normally before the game, but I definitely had a different feeling. I wouldn't say it's bittersweet, because there's not much sweet about playing your last game anywhere."
CWU jumped out to an early 17-9 lead but then saw the Nanooks go on a 17-5 run to take a 26-22 lead with 8:47 left in the first half. The Wildcats battled back to tie the game at 39 and then went into halftime up by three.
"They [the Nanooks] put 41 points on us in the first half," CWU head coach
Greg Sparling said. "In the second half, I thought our guys responded and held them to 25. It was a good night to send our seniors out."
Even so, Sparling admitted it was a grind-it-out game and called it, simply, "a team win."
"Fairbanks did a nice job tonight; they're well coached," he added. "We've just got to move forward and keep getting better."
Sparling also acknowledged the contributions of
Terry Dawn, who grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds; and
Joey Roppo, who recorded four assists without a turnover.
Coupled with Seattle Pacific University's 81-59 home win Saturday afternoon against Montana State Billings, the CWU victory sets up a battle for sole possession of second place, and a bye in the first round of the conference playoffs, at SPU Thursday.
Vaughn said, "That's extra motivation for us and extra fuel to the fire. "We've always believed that we can be GNAC champions. We've just got to go out and prepare and perform. We've got the talent. We've got a great coaching staff. We've got all the pieces. It's just about going out and doing it. I can't wait."
Williams added, "When you have 'Central' on your chest, everybody wants to give it [a loss] to you. We've got to play our A game every night."
CWU played its A game to beat SPU in their earlier meeting this season in Nicholson Pavilion 73-67. That contest was played on December 6.
"It's so far back—the first weekend of the GNAC. Now we're playing them the last weekend," Sparling acknowledged, saying that game will have no bearing on the rematch. "They're a solid club and especially good on their home floor. We've got to prepare and have a solid week of practice."
CWU is also expecting some help from members of Wildcat Nation for the 7 p.m. game in SPU's Royal Brougham Pavilion.
"When we play along the I-5 corridor, we have a lot of friends, family and alumni over there," Sparling pointed out.
