ANCHORAGE (Jan. 30) - Cody Gallatin scored a career-high 32 points, but his final three-point attempt bounced off the rim as time expired in overtime, and the UAA men fell 90-88 to second-ranked Humboldt State at the Sports Center.
UAA (7-10, 4-4 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) forced the extra session with an incredible 10-1 rally in the last 1 minute, 22 seconds of regulation. The Seawolves then took an 88-84 lead in overtime before the Lumberjacks (16-1, 7-1) scored the game's final six points.
The Seawolves got 20 points and 10 rebounds from junior forward Peter Bullock, his ninth double-double of the season and 27th of his career, tying him for No. 2 on UAA's career list.
Bullock gave the Seawolves an 84-83 lead early in the extra period, and Gallatin hit two free throws to put UAA up 86-83. A Shane Bannarbie layup made it 88-84 with 2:01 left, but the Lumberjacks answered with a driving bank shot from Dustin Kaatz to pull within two. Bannarbie's three-point try from the corner went long, and Bullock was called for a rebound foul, sending Greg Cutler to the line for the tying free throws with 1:23 to go.
HSU's Fred Hooks, the reigning GNAC Player of the Year, then scored his 36th and 37th points of the night with 44 seconds left on a pair of free throws. The junior power forward finished with 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks to go with his career-high point total.
After Scott Stevens missed a three for UAA, HSU's Ryan Wilber left the door open by missing a pair from the line. Gallatin came off a screen with time winding down, but his 20th three-point attempt of the night didn't go.
UAA forced the overtime by rallying from 80-69 down with 1:33 remaining. Adam Fitt-Chappell hit his only bucket of the night from 10 feet, and Stevens banked in a three with 48 seconds left to make it 80-74. UAA then stole the inbounds pass and Bullock scored a layup. Another inbounds steal led to two free throws from Jesse Brown, his only points.
Cutler then split a pair of free throws, giving UAA the chance to tie. Gallatin, who hit all five of his three-pointers in the first half, was fouled by Kaylin Thornton on a three-point try with 11 seconds left and hit all three free throws. Mark White's three-pointer then bounced off the rim at the other end as time expired.
UAA started slow, trailing 14-3 before Gallatin scored the team's first field goal with a three six minutes into the game. The Seawolves tied it at 17 before HSU, of Arcata, Calif., forged a 40-35 lead at the break.
The Seawolves outscored the 'Jacks 12-4 to start the second half, gaining a 47-44 lead. But HSU responded with an 8-0 run, taking command until the final, frantic minute.
UAA has now lost its last three games against HSU by an average of three points.
The Seawolves stayed in the game by taking care of the ball, committing only eight turnovers. However, UAA could manage only 33.8 percent shooting and lost the rebounding battle 53-42.
Both teams played without key players due to injury - HSU leading scorer Austin Nichols played sparingly because of a calf contusion, and UAA second-leading scorer Mark Drake left the game after having his eyeball scratched on a foul in the first half.
UAA got eight rebounds and a pair of blocks from junior center Bob Austin, while reserve guard Scott Stevens dished six assists with zero turnovers. Bullock, who ranks 20th in the nation in steals (2.7), improved his average with four more Thursday.
The Seawolves will try to bounce back Saturday when they host Western Oregon (9-8, 2-6 GNAC) at the Sports Center. Tip-off is 7:05 p.m.
