ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington men's basketball 9-4, 2-2 GNAC travels to Alaska this week to play Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks. The Wildcats face Alaska Anchorage on Thursday night and then take on Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday afternoon.

QUOTING HEAD COACH BRANDON RINTA
"This is always the most challenging trip of the year. These are tough places to play well. The team is looking forward to the challenge."
 
SCOUTING THE SEA WOLVES
Alaska Anchorage started their season with eight straight wins and is 11-3 overall and 1-2 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) play. The Seawolves are sixth in the GNAC one game behind the Wildcats. Alaska Anchorage is on a two-game winning streak. They beat Hawaii Pacific 77-72 before Christmas and opened 2024 with a thrilling 64-58 overtime victory over Alaska Fairbanks last Saturday. The Seawolves had four players score in double figures led by Dillon Barrientos who scored 19 points en route to the overtime win.

Tyson Gilbert leads the Seawolves averaging 13.4 points per game. He scored a season-high 27 points in early November against Chaminade. Gilbert is a threat from distance. He has made 33 threes so far this season and is 3^rd in the GNAC in 3-pointers made per game, averaging 2.4.

Sawyer Storms averages 10.9 ppg and 6.6 boards per contest. Other leading scorers for the Seawolves are Jaron Williams (10 ppg), Dillon Barrientos (9.9 ppg), and Dathan Satchel (7 ppg).

SCOUTING THE NANOOKS
Alaska Fairbanks is 3-8 overall and 1-2 in conference play. After a conference loss to Alaska Anchorage, the Nanooks are seventh in the GNAC. Alaska Fairbanks faces 3^rd ranked Northwest Nazarene Thursday at 7 p.m. before hosting Central Washington on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Abdullahi Mohamed is Alaska Fairbank's top scorer and rebounder, averaging 12.5 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. Paul Johnson averages 7.7 ppg and is the main threat from beyond the arc. Paul has cashed in 13 threes in his 11 starts. Tyriq Luke averages 7.8 ppg and leads Alaska Fairbanks from the field shooting 48%.

The Nanooks are a physical team defensively and have five players with five or more blocks this season. Jaycson Bereal Jr. has eight and Mohamed and TJ Doman each have seven.

LAST TIME OUT
The 'Cats split last week. Central Washington lost to Montana State Billings on Thursday but bounced back with a big 73-66 victory against Seattle Pacific on Saturday night.

Camron McNeil led the 'Cats to the win, scoring 21 points. He went 8-12 from the floor and a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe. Samaad Hector had a solid game. He scored nine points, hauled in a game high 14 rebounds, added three assists, and had three blocks.

The Wildcats played great defense all game and came up with big stops down the stretch. If Central Washington can replicate that defensive performance and increase their percentages from the floor and beyond the arc, they will have success this week.

UP NEXT
Central Washington returns home next week as GNAC play rolls on. The 'Cats host Northwest Nazarene on Saturday January 20^th at 6:15 p.m.