BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team dropped another tight Great Northwest Athletic Conference match-up falling 71-67 to Alaska Anchorage Saturday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym.

WWU had a seven-point lead with 6:24 remaining in the game, but Alaska Anchorage stormed back ending the contest on a 20-9 run to earn the four-point victory over the Vikings.

Western dropped to 8-6 overall and 0-4 in GNAC play, with three of the four losses by a combined eight points. UAA improved to 10-7 overall and 3-1 in conference play earning the road sweep over Simon Fraser and WWU.

Sophomore guard Tijan Saine led all players with a career-high 29 points, going 9-for-14 from the field and 4-for-5 from behind the three-point line. Saine was also perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line and contributed five of the Vikings 12 steals.

Freshman guard Aidan Rice earned a spot in the starting five with an injury to guard Grant Kepley, contributing 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.

UAA was led by 16 points from Tyler Burraston, with Hasaan Herrington (14 points) and Sean Evans (12 points) also scoring in double-digits. All 10 Seawolves that saw action scored in the contest with 19 points from non-starters.

The Seawolves led by as many as nine points late in the first half, but the Vikings cut the halftime deficit to four points at 41-37. WWU used a 15-3 run over seven minutes to grab a seven-point lead at 58-51 with 6:24 remaining. UAA erased the deficit with a 9-2 run and pulled ahead 67-65 with another 7-3 run. Saine tied the game 67-67 with a layup at the 1:41 mark, but two crucial turnovers down the stretch help lift the Seawolves to the victory. UAA scored its final four points from the free throw line, all by Jesse Stines, to seal the win.

The Vikings (8-6, 0-4 GNAC) head back on the road in GNAC play next week facing Seattle Pacific (5-9, 1-2 GNAC) on Thursday at 7 pm in Royal Brougham Pavilion and face Montana State Billings (11-5, 2-1 GNAC) Saturday in Billings at 4:15 pm MT/3:15 pm PT. The complete season schedule, complete with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/MBB.

The 2011-12 WWU men's basketball national championship team was inducted into the WWU Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday with a special halftime presentation. Members of the team were invited back to campus for an event and were honored at halftime. The men's basketball team is the second event of the year honoring the Vikings 13 national championship teams that will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during The Year of the Viking where all 13 national championship teams will earn their special spot on the wall of Carver Gym near the Hall of Fame Room.

Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Alaska Anchorage:

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2024-25 season:

WWU continues to lead the all-time series 28-21…two teams split last season with each team winning on its home court…Vikings entered the game winners of 7 of the last 10 in the series and 9 of the last 13.

Here is a look at the 2024-25 GNAC Men's Basketball standings and overall records through Saturday's action. Updated standings and conference statistics can be viewed online at GNACSports.com. The top six teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the GNAC Championships held March 6-8 in Lacey:

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2024-25 season following the four-point loss to Alaska Anchorage:

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, WWU has recorded a 20-win season in eight of the last 13 seasons. WWU is a six-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion and has appeared in the NCAA II Elite 8 three times. The Vikings won the 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship and advanced the following season to the NCAA II Final Four. Western has 20-win seasons in three of the last six years (and seven of 11) and won the 2020 GNAC Championships Tournament. WWU is amongst the top 20 winningest Division II programs with its 1,568 all-time victories.