ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team takes on the University of Alaska Anchorage in their first home game of 2020.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, January 18
vs Alaska Anchorage
7:30 p.m.
Nicholson Pavilion
Ellensburg, WA
 
QUOTABLE
"Anchorage is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation this year," CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said.  "It is going to be important for us to do a great job defending the three-point line this Thursday."
 
SCOUTING ALASKA ANCHORAGE | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2019-20 STATS | 2018-19 STATS
The Seawolves are 11-6 on the season and are 4-2 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.  Last time out, Anchorage notched an 81-66 victory over Simon Fraser University.  The Seawolves are 2-2 in their last four games, with losses coming against Western Washington and Seattle Pacific and victories against Saint Martin's and Simon Fraser.
 
Anchorage shot 53.7 percent from the field and 48.3 percent from beyond the arc in their victory over the Clan.  The Seawolves shot 29-for-54 on the contest, unleashing an aerial bombardment from deep, and knocking down 14 of their 29 three-point attempts. 
 
Anchorage averages 12 threes per game, scoring just under 50 percent of their points from beyond the arc.  The Seawolves are averaging 78.1 points per game and allowing just 71.6. 
 
Individually, Niko Bevens leads Anchorage's offense with 13.1 points per game.  Bevens is shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 47 percent from beyond the arc.  He leads the Seawolves in three-pointers made with 63.  Oggie Pantovic (12.3), Tobin Karlberg (11.2), and Tyrus Hasley (10.4) are also averaging double-digit scoring efforts.
 
In GNAC play, Pantovic leads the scoring with 14.7 points per game.  He has scored 88 points, while Bevens has scored 85.  Jack Macdonald takes Karlsberg's spot in the top four, averaging an even 10 points per game.  Karlsberg has averaged just 9.3 points per game in conference contests.
 
Pantovic is leading in the rebounding department, averaging 6.6 rebounds per game.  Anchorage is being out rebounded by their opponents by a slim margin, 34.6-33.6. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
Central shot 56.7 percent from the field in the opening stanza, including a 3-for-4 mark beyond the arc.  The Wildcats led 7-2 in the opening five minutes of play, before Billings went on a 7-0 run to take a 9-7 lead.
 
With 9:29 left in the first half, the 'Jackets pushed their lead to nine, 26-17.  They reached their largest lead five minutes later, extending the lead to 11 with 4:45 on the clock.  

A layup from Woody dropped the 'Jackets' advantage to a single-digit, before a trey from Kevin Baker made it 35-26.  A jumper from. MSUB's Brendan Howard was quickly washed away with another layup from Woody.  Baker then picked Chrishon Dixon's pocket and was fouled.  He converted both of his free throws, pull the Yellowjackets' lead to four, 37-33.
 
Late in the second half, Billings received a pair of free throws from Tyler Green, giving the Yellowjackets a two-point lead, 82-80.  Trailing by two, with just 10 seconds to go, Jeryn Lucas drove the lane and converted a close-range jumper to force overtime.  

Forty-seven seconds went by in the first overtime period before either team claimed the period's first points.  Zharon Richmond put Billings ahead with a pair of free throws.  Smith responded with a pair of free throws of his own.  Not to be outdone, Baker stepped to the line on the Wildcats' next possession and converted both of his chances from the charity stripe.  

The first actual basket of the overtime period was scored by Woody, a layup with 37 seconds remaining, putting the Wildcats ahead 89-85 after the and-one. A free throw from Matt Poquette made Central's lead six, 90-84.  

With 15 seconds left, Dixon made a layup for Billings to cut their deficit to four.  A free throw from Davon Bolton pushed it back to five. Psalm Maduakor drained a trey with six seconds remaining, making it 91-89.  A missed free throw gave the 'Jackets one final chance at victory and Green didn't miss, making a long-distance three at time expired for the win.
 
The Crimson and Black scored 58 points in the paint, while their reserves chipped in 54 points. Central scored 21 points off of turnovers and shot 54.5 percent from the field.  Smith and Baker both finished with 13 points, while Poquette recorded 11.  
 
CWU v UAA HISTORY
The Wildcats are 16-21 against the Seawolves since 2003.  Anchorage took both ends of the season series last year.  Central's last win over the Seawolves came on January 11, 2018, when Central hung on for a 72-71 overtime victory.