ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team lost to the University of Alaska Anchorage Thursday night in a close game that saw several lead changes, with the Seawolves pulling away late to clinch the win.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (70), Alaska Anchorage (76)
• Records: CWU (11-11, 5-6 GNAC), UAA (16-7, 8-4 GNAC)
• Location: Alaska Airlines Center (Anchorage, Alaska)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH BRANDON RINTA:
 
"We couldn't stop Tosi tonight. He was the difference in the game. We had some good stretches, but not enough consistently to beat a good team like UAA on the road."
 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Bradley Swillie and Jordan Clark came out strong to start the game, each hitting a three-pointer in the first minute to give CWU the early 6-0 lead. Sylas Williams responded with a three of his own to cut the lead in half. Calvin Sisk got the next run going as the teams traded points from within the arc as the Wildcats held a three-point lead. Clark then broke the rhythm with a shot from beyond the three-point line to have Central take a 15-9 lead in the first five minutes.
• The Seawolves then found a stride and went on a six-point run to eliminate the lead and tie it up at 15-15 with 12:26 remaining. Chae Haynes then broke the tie with a pair of free throws, but UAA then answered with an eight-point streak to take a 23-17 lead with 9:36 left in the half.
• Jamari Harris stopped the run with a strong layup that drew the foul for the and-one, but he couldn't get the free throw to fall. Williams got a layup, that was answered by Haynes to make it a 21-25 game into a timeout. Haynes continued his scoring ways out of the break, getting a layup with the foul; he would hit the and-one. It continued to be the Haynes show as he tied it up with a free throw at 25-25 with 6:25 left in the first half.
• Bishop Tosi broke the tie with a big three-pointer for the Seawolves, and Clark responded with a layup to keep the score within one. Tosi then got fouled by Haynes and went 1-2 at the charity line as it remained a one-score game at 27-29. The teams then battled for the final five minutes of the half as Alaska Anchorage took a 35-31 lead into halftime.
• The Seawolves started out the second half with a 7-2 run to take a 42-33 lead. Central responded with a pair of three-pointers from Clark and Garrett Marrs to cut the lead to five. Tosi then got a layup to build the lead, but Clark came right back with another shot from deep to cut the lead to 42-46. Tosi got another two points and Harris answered with a three-pointer to cut the lead to three with 13:33 remaining.
• On the next possession, Swillie got a steal and got it to Xavier Kamalu-Vargas, who then got fouled on the shot and proceeded to hit both of his free throws to make it a one-point game. Cole Johnson gave the Seawolves breathing room as he hit a three-pointer to make it a 51-47 lead. But Haynes got an answer after getting a layup to fall and a foul; he would hit the free throw to make it 50-51.
• Then, UAA found an offensive rush and went on a 9-1 run to make it 60-51. Both teams traded four points as Anchorage held its nine-point lead with under five minutes left in the game. The Wildcats followed the run with a huge play from Eli Williams, as he hit a three-pointer and drew a foul to cut the lead to five. Tosi then got a pull-up shot to fall and was answered by Haynes with a jumper and the foul, but the and-one couldn't fall, and Sylas Williams hit a pair of free throws to build some comfort between the Seawolves and the 'Cats at 68-61 with 2:47 left.
• Hasaan Herrington got UAA another point off a free throw, but then Haynes and Eli Williams got a pair of layups with Williams drawing a foul and he hit the and-one to make it a three-point game. Tosi then found another shot to fall on the offensive board and put-back. Tosi scored 30 points in a game. The Crimson and Black battled to get a shot to fall from deep, but couldn't finish as the Seawolves held on to win 76-70 and earn the season sweep over the Wildcats.
   

STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Clark and Haynes led the 'Cats with 16 points each. Clark recorded six assists, five rebounds, while Haynes recorded six rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
• Eli Williams scored 12 points, while logging three rebounds and four assists.
• Sisk went 4-6, scoring eight point and tallying two boards and two blocks.
• Harris recorded seven points and four rebounds.
• Swillie tallied six points, two steals, three rebounds and six assists.
• Marrs logged three points, three rebounds and an assist.
• Kamalu-Vargas recorded two points, a rebound and an assist.
• The Wildcats finished the game shooting 42.9 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from three, and 70 percent from the free-throw line.
• UAA was led by Bishop Tosi who recorded 30 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and went 13-16 from the floor. Scoring leaders also included Sylas Williams with 14 points, and Hasaan Herrington with 13.
• UAA shot 53.6 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from three, and 68.8 percent from the free-throw line.
• The Seawolves won the rebound battle 33-30.

 

SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The Seawolves lead the all-time series 29-25.
• The 'Cats are 7-18 in Anchorage.
• UAA now holds a two-game winning streak in the series.

 

UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats head up to Fairbanks, Alaska to take on UAF on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off from the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. PST.