ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Jan. 16) – The Central Washington University men's basketball team heads to Alaska for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchups.
GAME INFORMATION
Thursday, Jan. 17
at Alaska Anchorage
7:00 PM AKT | 8:00 PM PT
Alaska Airlines Arena | Anchorage, AK
LIVE STATS |
LIVE VIDEO
Saturday, Jan. 19
at Alaska Fairbanks
2:00 PM AKT | 3:00 PM PT
Alaska Airlines Court | Fairbanks, AK
LIVE STATS |
LIVE VIDEO
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"This trip is always an adventure," CWU Head Coach
Brandon Rinta said. "Anchorage and Fairbanks are tough places to get road wins. My hope is that this team has enough experience on the road at this point in the season that we can play well no matter how far from Ellensburg we are."
SCOUTING ALASKA ANCHORAGE
The Seawolves enter the week at 7-7 overall and 2-4 in GNAC play. Anchorage lost both of its games last week, nearly upsetting No. 18 Saint Martin's in a 70-68 loss. The Seawolves then fell to Seattle Pacific, 87-74.
The Saints held their largest lead with just under 15 minutes to play in regulation, 44-28. They led 57-44 with 7:58 on the clock before the Seawolves began a late effort.
Back-to-back baskets from Sjur Berg brought the Seawolves within single digits before a pair of three-pointers made it 63-59 with 3:53 left.
Niko Bevens kept it a two-possession game at 68-64 with a three with just 43 seconds left on the clock. Anchorage pulled within a bucket with a pair of free throws from Brennan Rymer and just 8.1 seconds remaining. Luke Chavez connected on two free throws, sealing the victory for Saint Martin's.
Tyler Brimhall leads the Seawolves in scoring for the season, averaging 16.1 points per game. He is also the clubhouse leader in rebounds, hauling in 6.5 per game. Brimhall is shooting 43.5 percent from the floor and 82.7 percent at the charity stripe.
Bevens (12.4) and Rymer (10.1) are also averaging 10 or more points per game. As a unit, the Seawolves are averaging 71.6 points per game and holding opponents to a near identical 71.3. Anchorage is being out rebounded by opponents 32.4-32.9.
The Wildcats and Seawolves split the season series last year with each team picking up victories at home.
SCOUTING ALASKA
The Nanooks are 4-9 on the season and 1-5 in GNAC competition. They are 1-2 in the friendly confines of the Alaska Airlines Court. Alaska is currently riding a four-game losing streak.
Last week, the Nanooks fell to both Seattle Pacific (79-62) and No. 4 Saint Martin's (87-80). Alaska shot 56.6 percent from the floor against the Saints after shooting 33.3 percent against Seattle Pacific.
Michael Kluting leads Alaska's scoring effort, averaging 13.8 points per game. Spencer Sweet (12.5), Alex Martin (11.7), Aushanti Potts-Woods (10.5), and Tymoryae Glover (10.2) are all averaging double-digit nights as well. Kluting also lead she Nanooks in rebounding, reeling in 9.2 boards per game. Alaska is being out rebounded 34-33 on the season.
Last season, CWU and UAF split their season series with each team winning on the road.
LAST TIME OUT
The Crimson and Black earned their first GNAC win of the season over Simon Fraser in dramatic fashion last week. The Wildcats edged out the Clan 85-84.
The Crimson and Black fought back into the game facing a six-point deficit with just under ten minutes remaining in the game. Central tied the game at 69 with 3:30 remaining in the second period after freshmen forward
Matt Poquette converted an and-one opportunity.
Senior guard
Jackson Price had a chance at the buzzer to defeat the visitors in regulation, but missed the step-back jumper to force an extra period.
The visitors converted one of two at the line to take a one-point lead before junior guard
Gamaun Boykin snatched the lead back for the home team seconds later with a floater in the key. This was the Wildcat's first lead since 11-9 in the opening minutes of play.
Junior guard
Jeryn Lucas started the overtime nailing a big shot from deep before SFU countered with a three of their own. Lucas dazzled the crowd once more in overtime with a vicious one-handed dunk driving down the lane. Even after the jam, the Crimson and Black still found themselves down by one.
The Wildcats' defense clamped down on the ensuing possession and forced a jump ball. The home team was awarded possession with just 54 seconds left in the extra period. Freshman forward
Zellie Hudson converted a floater in the lane to put the Wildcats back on top by one.
The visitors collected an offensive rebound followed by a put-back to return the lead to the SFU before Hudson converted two clutch free throws to regain the lead for the Wildcats. The Wildcats defense applied a full court press with just six seconds remaining for the Clan. The visitors' game winning attempt clanked off the front iron and the crimson and black held on for a narrow victory.
NOTES
Poquette has scored 28 points in his last two games. He scored 10 points and had six rebounds and two blocks against Simon Fraser. Poquette then led all scorers with 18 points against Western Washington, shooting 6 of 13 from the field and 2 of 3 from three-point range, with four rebounds. Poquette has come off the bench in all 14 games and is averaging 10 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Price has scored 26 points in the last two games. Price enters the week averaging 10.8 points per game and is ninth in the GNAC with a .456 three-point percentage.
Central Washington leads the GNAC and is 19th in Division II in scoring at 89.7 points per game. The Wildcats also lead the GNAC and rank 24th in Division II with a .399 three-point percentage and are 27th nationally with a .492 field goal percentage.
