Box Score | Final Game Book | Game Highlights

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Paced by an incredible performance from senior guard Kyle Impero, Western Washington rallied from 17 points down in the second half, only to fall to University of Alaska Anchorage in double overtime, 108-105, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball game Thursday at Whatcom Pavilion.

Impero (Everson, WA/Nooksack Valley/Whatcom CC) scored a career-high 37 points, 33 of them in the final 15 minutes, but the Vikings had their four-game winning streak snapped to fall to 14-8 overall, 8-5 in the GNAC. UAA completed the season sweep of the Vikings to improve to 17-7 overall, 10-3 in conference play.

Forward Spencer Svejcar put the Seawolves ahead for good, 106-105 on a 3-pointer with 37.4 seconds left in the second extra period, and Corey Hammell added two free throws for the final margin. The Vikings had a chance to tie, but a 3-point attempt by senior guard Ricardo Maxwell (Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/Edmonds CC) went off the iron in the final second.

"We played with a lot of heart, we came back and had a chance," said WWU coach Tony Dominguez. "It was a tough one to lose."

UAA junior guard Sekou Wiggs, the GNAC's leading scorer, had 33 points and 10 rebounds for UAA, and senior guard Brian McGill added 31 points, going 15-of-15 on free throws.

WWU trailed by 17 points, 70-53, with under six minutes left in the second half, but held the Seawolves to just one field goal the rest of regulation, and eventually caught UAA, 83-83, as Impero hit three free throws with 0.3 seconds left after being fouled shooting a desperation shot from the half court line.

"Impero was outstanding at the end of the game, he gave us a chance to win," said Dominguez. "He was struggling early, but he made up for it."

The Vikings trailed again late in the first overtime, but junior forward Jeffrey Parker (Richmond, CA/Salesian), who finished with 25 points, hit a 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds left to knot the score at 95-95, and Wiggs missed a possible game-winner from the left wing.

In addition to the big games by Impero and Parker, redshirt freshman Trey Drechsel (Woodinville, WA/Cedar Park Christian) added 18 points on 6-for-11 shooting (4-for-7 3-pointers).

The Vikings out-shot the Seawolves 47.4% (37-for-78) to 43.5% (30-for-69), and made 15 3-pointers (15-for-35/42.9%). The fast-paced game featured 13 tied scores and 14 lead changes.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring 8 lead changes and 6 tie scores. WWU held a 6-point lead at 23-17 midway through the half, but UAA battled back to take a 40-35 lead into halftime. The Seawolves finished the half on a 7-2 run after the game was tied 33-33. Drechsel and Parker each scored 11 points in the half as the Vikings shot 41.4% from the field (compared to 50.0 by UAA). Wiggs led Anchorage with 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field.

The Vikings (14-8, 8-5 GNAC) return to action Saturday vs. the University of Alaska at 7 pm at Whatcom Pavilion.