ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team made four-straight three pointers in the final 19 seconds of its Saturday matchup with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, but ran out of time as the Nanooks escaped with an 86-83 victory over the Wildcats.
 
The Wildcats are now 8-7 on the season and 3-5 in the great Northwest Athletic Conference, while the Nanooks improve to 7-7, 5-3 in the GNAC.
 
The Wildcats trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half, and 12 with just 24 seconds to play.  Central gained extra possessions by fouling the Nanooks -- who sank 18 of 20 from the free throw line – and rallied to drain a quartet of triples, the final coming from Khalil Shabazz as time expired on the Wildcats comeback attempts.
 
Shabazz led all scorers with 25 points on 8 of 16 shooting, including 6 of 8 from downtown.  Shabazz also had a game and career-high seven assists.
 
Malik Montoya scored a season-high 18 points and five rebounds, missing just four of his 11 attempts on the night.  Also scoring in double figures – for the third consecutive game – was Jawan Stepney with 11 points and a season-high seven rebounds.
 
In the final four minutes of play, the Wildcats went 8 of 12 from long range.  However, Central struggled to sink the long ball the rest of the night, going 3 for 19 from three-point territory prior to the late game onslaught.
 
The Nanooks were consistent from the field, scooting 50-percent for the game, and from three.  Alaska had four players score in double figures led by 22 points from guard Alex Baham and 18 from Davis Kimble.
 
Central Washington shot 80-percent from the free throw line in the game, but were outscored by 10 at the line where the Nanooks were 90-percent.
 
The Wildcats trailed by just three at the half despite making just 1 of 12 from three, but a 14-2 run by the Nanooks midway through the second half broke the game open and the Wildcats were forced to play catchup.
 
The Wildcats finally found its groove, but it was too little too late as the Nanooks hung on for the victory.
 
Central Washington is back in action next week when they travel to Oregon to take on Western Oregon and Concordia on Jan. 18 and 20, respectively.