ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team heads to the Last Frontier to take on the University of Alaska.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Thursday, February 13
At University of Alaska
7:00 p.m. AK (8:00 p.m. PT)
Alaska Airlines Court
Fairbanks, Alaska
 
QUOTABLE
"This past week was an important stretch at home," CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said.  "Our guys executed well on both ends of the floor and got us back in the playoff hunt.  This is always a challenging road trip that is unique to competing in the GNAC.  Fairbanks continues to play at a high level, being the first team to sweep the Western Washington and Simon Fraser road trip this last weekend."
 
SCOUTING UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2019-20 STATS
The Nanooks did indeed sweep the reverse side of the Western Washington and Simon Fraser series this past week.  They took down the Vikings, 96-85, before slipping past Simon Fraser in an 87-85 affair. 
 
Alaska is 10-12 overall, but they have won when it has mattered in conference with a record of 9-5.  They are 4-1 in their last five games.  At home, Alaska sports a record of 4-2.
 
Despite being above .500 by four games in conference, the Nanooks are still being outscored by their opponents 83.5-77.3.  They are shooting 44.5 percent from the floor and 26.7 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Shadeed Shabazz has had his way with opposing defenses, averaging 26.7 points per game.  Spencer Sweet sits behind him, averaging 13.5 points per game.  Shabazz is also second in rebounding, averaging 4.6 boards per game. 
 
In GNAC play, Shabazz has been even better for head coach Greg Sparling.  He is averaging 31.6 points per game and is rebounding a touch better, at an even five rebounds per game.  The junior guard is shooting 50.2 percent from the floor in GNAC play and 47.2 percent overall.
 
Alaska is averaging 8.1 steals per game, while only giving up 5.1 steals per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats forced 14 turnovers and surrendered just nine to Montana State Billings on Saturday in a 67-56 victory.
 
Central Washington got off to a slow start in the first half going without a made shot in first three minutes of action. MSU Billings led 8-0 before a Lucas jumper ended the drought and finally got the Wildcats on the board.
 
Lucas was the spark for the Wildcats off the bench as he scored the team's first five points. By the first media timeout, CWU found itself down 12-5 with 14:40 to play in the half. The Yellowjackets got off to a fast start shooting 6-10, while CWU was just 2-9.
 
Lucas' play early sparked the Wildcats. He scored eight of the team's first 10 points to get the Wildcat within two, 12-10, with just over 12 minutes to play in the half. The Wildcats then managed to make some stops as the half went on to grab their first lead.
 
The Yellowjackets managed to hold their lead by two possessions for much of the first half but the Wildcats slowly chipped away at the lead. A deep triple from Lucas gave CWU its first lead of the game at 7:10 mark, 19-18.
 
The score remained at 19-18 in favor of CWU for the next three minutes as neither squad managed to get a shot to fall. MSU Billings retook the lead at the 4:23 mark on a driving layup to make it a 20-19 game. The pace of the game picked up in the final minutes as the Wildcats outscored the Yellowjackets 13-5 in that final 4:23 to take a 32-25 lead at halftime.
 
Lucas was the answer for the Wildcats in the first half as he poured in 16 points off the bench. Keeping the Yellowjackets in the game thought was a blistering 20-4 edge in points in the paint. CWU had the advantage from deep going 6-11, while MSU Billings failed to make a triple on 13 attempts.
 
The two team's wasted little time trading shots to start the second half. Despite the quick start, both teams still struggled to make shots. CWU was just 3-8 from the floor in the first 4:33 of play while MSU Billings was just 2-8. CWU was still in front 39-31 in that span.
 
MSU Billings managed to cut its deficit to six, 39-33, and threatened to potentially tie, but CWU responded and outscored them 11-5 to go up 50-38 with 7:40 to play in the game. The 12-point lead for the Wildcats was their largest of the game at the point.
 
As the game went on, MSU Billings looked to stay close against the Wildcats and had some chances. They got within nine after the Wildcats got up 50-38, but from then on, the home team had a response to every shot the visitors made.
 
The Crimson and Black led by as much as 16 in the final seven minutes of play and never allowed MSU Billings mount a comeback the rest of the night. The Wildcats resilience ultimately secure the 11-point win and push their win streak to four.
 
Lucas scored his 27 points on a scorching 10-12 shooting and was 7-8 from three-point range. Davon Bolton and Gamaun Boykin each scored 10 points to round out the double figure scoring for CWU. Xavier Smith chipped in eight points and led the way in rebounds with eight.
 
CWU v ALASKA
Alaska handed Central a 78-60 loss, the first win in Nicholson Pavilion for Greg Sparling.  Both teams sputtered offensively to open up the first half. With 16:40 to go before the break, the two teams were tied at five. Shabazz knocked down a three-pointer for Alaska, sparking a 13-3 run which gave the Nanooks a 17-8 lead.
 
Tariq Woody aided the Wildcats in cutting into the Nanook lead. After a layup from Boykin, the Wildcats trailed 17-10 with 12:56 left in the first half. From there, Woody scored six consecutive points for the Wildcats. At the end of Woody's solo run, the Wildcats trailed 20-16 with 9:48 on the clock.
 
Micah Pollard splashed home a three-pointer from the corner, moving the score to 22-19. Later, Boykin sank a pair of free throws that put the Wildcats to within a point of the lead. From there, the Nanooks put together another run. This time, it was an 8-2 run that gave them a 30-23 lead.
 
Smith and Bolton would shrink the Nanook lead for the Wildcats. The pair scored four points each as the Wildcats pulled to within two of the Nanooks. The visitors led 34-32 with 2:27 left in the first half. The Nanooks closed out the first half on a 5-0 run. It was capped by a three-pointer from Sweet.
 
Three-point shooting hindered the Wildcats throughout the first half. They shot 4-15 (26.7 percent) from beyond the arc. The Crimson and Black were able to stay in the contest due in part to contributions from the bench. Central's bench outscored the Nanooks bench 18-8 in the first half. The Crimson and Black found themselves trailing by just seven at halftime. The score sat at 39-32 in favor of the Nanooks going into the break.
 
Back-to-back baskets from Smith cut the Nanooks' lead to three, however a trey from Specner Sweet pushed Alaska's lead to six.  A layup from Gilson, followed by a three from Boykin made it just a one-point game at 42-41.  A steal by Bolton on the Nanooks' next possession led to a layup from Woody, giving the Wildcats their final lead of the game at 43-42.
 
Alaska responded with a 9-0 run, staking out an eight-point advantage with 11:15 left to play.  A layup from Poquette ended the Nanooks' run.
 
With 4:39 left to play in the second stanza Alaska gained their first double digit lead of the evening, 63-53.  The Nanooks extended their lead to 17 with 2:22 remaining in regulation and they did not look back.
 
Central scored 38 points in the paint, but managed only four points off turnovers.  Both Bolton and Smith finished with 10 points.  Bolton added four assists, one block, and two steals.  Gilson, Baker, and Poquette each recorded six rebounds.  The Wildcats shot 45.6 percent from the field.