Feb. 21, 2009
Box Score
BEELINGHAM, Wash. - Center Jeremiah Trueman scored 25 points, leading University of Alaska Anchorage to an 88-77 overtime victory over Western Washington University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball game Saturday on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
Western, which was led by the 25 points of guard Ira Graham (Sr., Fontana, CA), fell to 17-5 overall and 9-3 in the GNAC with its second loss in the last three games. The loss knocked the Vikings out of the lead in the GNAC standings, as Western is now tied for second with Central Washington, a half-game behind Seattle Pacific, which is 10-3.
UAA improved to 13-12 overall and 7-5 in conference play. Brandon Walker added 15 points for the Seawolves, nine of them in overtime.
Western trailed by four, 69-65, with 1:17 left in the second half, but Graham hit two free throws, then guard Morris Anderson (Jr., Federal Way) blocked Trueman's layup attempt and at the other end of the floor fed Michael Duty (Jr., Seattle/O'Dea) for a reverse layin to tie the game with 18.3 seconds left.
UAA played for the last shot of regulation, but Western center David Brittinen (Sr., Hoquiam) blocked Lonnie Ridgeway's attempt with four seconds left. The ball ended up with Anderson, but his halfcourt attempt at the buzzer hit the front iron, forcing overtime.
The Seawolves scored the first seven points of overtime, with a 3-pointer by Walker giving them a 76-69 advantage with 2:23 left. Western got no closer than four points after that.
]Center Calin Schell (Sr., Chelan) had 15 points for Westerrn before fouling out late in the second half, and Duty added 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds. The Vikings had a 43-31 advantage in rebounds, but shot only 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field.
Western led only once in the first 30 minutes, but used a 17-2 run over a five-minute span to take a 59-50 lead with 6:30 left, but UAA responded with 14 straight points to move back in front, 64-59, with 3:42 to go.
Kenny Barker had 16 points and six assists for the Seawolves, and Kevin White added 13 points.
The Vikings conclude a stretch of three consecutive home games against Western Oregon on Wednesday (7 p.m.).
