Feb. 8, 2003
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Forward Yusef Aziz scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the second half, leading Seattle Pacific University to an 80-72 victory over Western Washington University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball game Saturday before a crowd of 2,020 at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
The Vikings, who fell to 11-8 overall and 5-5 in the GNAC with their fourth loss in the last six games, were led by guard Jason Burrell (Jr., Ontario, CA), who had 19 points, 17 in the second half. Guard Grant Dykstra (R-Fr., Everson/Lynden Christian) added 17 points. Western has lost three of its last four home games, the first time that has occurred in five years.
Seattle Pacific, ranked No.5 in the West Region of NCAA Division II, improved to 12-8 overall, 8-2 in the GNAC, with its fifth consecutive victory. Center Jason Chivers added 19 points for the Falcons.
The Vikings led by nine, 48-39, with 14 minutes left, and were still up by seven, 56-49, with 10 minutes to play, but the Falcons went on an 8-2 run to narrow the margin to one, 58-57, with 8:37 left.
Seattle Pacific eventually took control of the game with an 11-5 run in which it scored on five straight possessions. Two free throws by Aziz tied the score at 59-59 with 5:40 left to start the run, which was capped by a Maurice Cato 3-pointer that put the Falcons up 68-64 with 3:18 left. Seattle Pacific never led by less than four the rest of the way.
Seattle Pacific was 35-of-40 (88.0 percent) on free throws, closing the game out by going 10-of-12 in the final 1:47. Aziz, who entered the game hitting 64.4 percent from the line, was 12-of-12. He was also 8-of-12 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds.
The first half featured five lead changes and six ties, with Western having the biggest lead of the period at five points on two occasions in the last five minutes. The game was tied, 31-31, at halftime, one of 10 ties in the game in all.
Western forward Chris Stevens (Sr., Long Beach, CA/Poly), making his first start since the third game of the season and just the fifth of his career, had career highs of 14 points and eight rebounds for the Vikings, hitting 6-of-8 shots from the field. Center Mike Palm (Sr., Puyallup/Rogers) added 12 points.
Western had a 38-27 edge in rebounds, but shot only 41.9 percent (26-of-62) from the field and 61.9 percent (13-of-21) on free throws.
The Vikings were without starting forward Maurice Tyree (So., Sacramento, CA/Jesuit) for the third straight game because of a kidney ailment.
Western travels to University of Alaska Anchorage on Thursday (9 p.m. PT) in a GNAC counter.
