SEATTLE, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team (8-9, 2-4 GNAC) saw a strong comeback fall just short in the final seconds to Seattle Pacific (8-5, 3-3 GNAC) after cutting down a double-digit lead late in the game on Thursday night in the Royal Brougham Pavilion.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (63), Seattle Pacific (66)
• Records: CWU (8-9, 2-4 GNAC), SPU (8-5, 3-3 GNAC)
• Location: Royal Brougham Pavilion (Seattle, Wash.)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH BRANDON RINTA:

"I would have thought holding SPU to 44% from the field and 5 made threes would be enough to beat them. Unfortunately, we were not good offensively tonight. The team fought back from 14 down to give us a chance to win late."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The Wildcats opened the scoring off a jump shot from Bradley Swillie, but the Falcons responded with a 14-3 run to take a nine-point lead with almost five minutes into the first half.
• Central answered with a run of their own with Swillie getting a pair of shots to fall, followed by five straight free throws from Jordan Clark and Eli Williams as CWU went on a 9-2 run to make it a 14-16 score.
• The 'Cats then got a 5-2 run off a three-pointer from Jamari Harris and then a layup from Clark to take a 19-18 lead. Grant Coleman responded with a three-pointer for the Falcons to retake the lead.
• The teams then battled for the next eight minutes with SPU holding a narrow lead before a layup from Theo McMillan gave the Falcons a five-point lead that sparked a 7-4 run to pad Seattle Pacific's lead to eight with 1:52 left.
• The 'Cats used smart time management to limit the Falcons' scoring chances, getting a 5-2 run to cut the lead to five capped by a big dunk from Marrs to send the game into halftime.
• Both teams opened the second half trading four points each before Trace Evans hit a pair of layups to give SPU a 49-40 lead with 15:53 remaining.
• Calvin Sisk found a pass from Clark and hit a hook shot to cut the lead to seven, but Coleman struck once again from beyond the arc, followed by a pair of layups from Julian Mora to build the lead up to 14 points with 11:47 left in the game.
• The 'Cats found three free throws to make it an 11-point lead, as McMillan answered with a driving layup to extend the lead. However, following a scoreless minute and a half, Central found a pair of three pointers from Clark and Williams to cut the lead to seven with 6:03 remaining.
• Clark and Marrs each got a free throw to make it a five-point game and then Clark drew an offensive foul to take a chance away from SPU, followed by Clark getting fouled again on the shot to go to line with 3:53 left. He would hit one of his free throws to make it a four-point game.
• Connor Drinkwine hit a layup for the Falcons to give SPU a 62-56 lead, but Harris got a pass from Clark and hit a three-pointer from the wing to make it a three-point lead with 3:13 left.
• Then, while Clark missed a shot from the perimeter, Xavier Kamalu-Vargas was fouled on the box-out attempt by Mora. Mora logged his fifth foul as he fouled out of the game, and Kamalu-Vargas hit both of his free throws to make it a one-point game with 2:29 remaining.
• Evans hit a jump shot off the glass to give SPU a 64-61 lead, then the Falcons were able to burn the clock down to :49 before Harris got a rebound. Clark got a chance but missed the jump shot, but the ball went out of bounds with Central's possession with :35 left.
• Harris got a look but saw his three-point attempt hit the rim as Drinkwine got the rebound and Williams fouled him. On the inbound pass following a timeout, Williams fouled Drinkwine again to force the one-and-one chance. Drinkwine missed the shot and Harris rebounded and during the drive to the net, Clark was fouled to go to the line. He would hit both free throws to make it a 63-64 lead with :17 left.
• Then, prior to the inbound pass, Williams fouled Drinkwine again. Drinkwine hit his first shot but missed the second to give CWU a chance with a two-point game, but Clark missed his first, got his own rebound, and then was blocked by Evans on the second chance as Logan Kinloch got the rebound and the foul from Swillie with five seconds left. Kinloch hit his first free throw but missed the second as Harris raced down the court and took a shot, but that missed the rim as Seattle Pacific survived the Wildcats' comeback attempt with final score of 63-66.
   

STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Clark led CWU with 22 points, while logging four rebounds (including three offensive boards), three assists, two blocks, and one steal.
• Swillie added 10 points, three assists, two rebounds, and one steal.
• Harris logged nine points and four rebounds.
• Williams recorded eight points and four rebounds.
• Sisk knocked in four points, two blocks, two assists, and one rebound.
• Jalen Childs tallied four points and six rebounds.
• Garrett Marrs logged three points and led the team with nine rebounds.
• Xavier Kamalu-Vargas scored two points and one assist.
• Chae Haynes rounds out the stats with one point, six rebounds, two steals, and one block.
• The 'Cats finished the game shooting 34 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from three, and 84.6 percent from the charity stripe.
• Seattle Pacific was led by Evans, who recorded 17 points, seven rebounds (including four offensive boards), four steals, three blocks, and three assists. McMillan and Drinkwine also recorded double-digits for the Falcons with 16 points each.
• The Falcons finished the game shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from three, and 55.6 percent from the free-throw line.
• SPU edged CWU in rebounds 38-37.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The 'Cats lead the all-time series 79-70.
• SPU is on a two-game win-streak.
• CWU is 31-44 against the Falcons in the Royal Brougham Pavilion.
   

UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats head east to Billings, Mont., to take on the Yellowjackets of Montana State Billings on Saturday, Jan. 17.
• Tip-off is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. PST following the conclusion of the CWU Women's Basketball game against the Yellowjackets from Alterowitz Gymnasium.