Box Score

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Guard Ashton Edwards scored a game-high 30 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 41 seconds left, lifting University of Alaska Fairbanks to a 64-60 victory over Western Washington University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball contest on Thursday, Jan. 1, at the Patty Center.

Guard Jaamon Echols (Jr., Seattle/Rainier Beach) led WWU, which fell to 7-5 overall and 0-2 in the GNAC, with 20 points. Center Mac Johnson (Jr., Spokane/Gonzaga Prep) added 12 points and seven rebounds. The Vikings, who fell in Fairbanks for the third straight season and all by margins of four points, are now 1-5 on the road.

UAF improved to 4-7 overall and 1-2 in the GNAC.

With the game tied at 58-58, Edwards hit a driving layup to give the Nanooks a two-point lead, but Harris Javier (Jr., Walnut, CA) drove the length of the floor to tie the game for the final time at 60-60 with 59 seconds remaining.

On the following UAF possession, WWU's Anye Turner (Sr., Tumwater/Black Hills) deflected a pass, but then was called for a foul battling for the loose ball, leading to Edwards, who scored eight of his team's last 10 points, hitting the go-ahead free throws. Echols missed on a drive, and the loose ball went out of bounds to the Nanooks.

The Vikings used full-court pressure to force a turnover, but then turned the ball over themselves, and UAF's Eric Fongue hit two free throws with six seconds left for the final margin.

Javier had 11 points for WWU, which shot just 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the field, and 45.5 percent (10-of-22) at the free throw line.

WWU opened up a nine-point lead, 22-13, midway through the first half after a 3-pointer by Joey Schreiber (So., Renton/Eastside Catholic). The Vikings were still ahead by six, 33-27, with less than two minutes remaining in the period, but UAF scored the last five points on a 3-pointer by Adam Griffin and two free throws by Edwards to trail by just one, 33-32, at the intermission.

The Vikings led by six, 43-37, with 15:31 remaining in the game. That was the biggest advantage by either team in the second half.

WWU travels to University of Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, Jan. 3, for a GNAC counter.