ANCHORAGE (Feb. 12) - Sophomore swingman Adam Fitt-Chappell played the best game of his career as the Seawolves got big contributions from several sources in a 95-76 men's basketball victory over Western Oregon tonight.
UAA (16-6, 6-5 GNAC) had five players score double-digits and pulled away late thanks to huge advantages in rebounding and three-point shooting. WOU (12-9, 6-6) was led by forward Sean Kelly's 23 points and seven rebounds.
Fitt-Chappell, who had totaled just 12 points in the last four games, poured in 13 of his game-high 24 in the first half as UAA established a 45-42 advantage. The Eagle River native's scoring effort equaled a career-high, while he also dished five assists and pulled down a career-best 11 rebounds for his first double-double.
Seawolf point guard Aaron Lawrence scored a career-high 22 points and equaled his best rebounding performance with five. Meanwhile, Peter Bullock had 13 points and 13 rebounds to tie Hansi Gnad's all-time UAA record of 46 double-doubles. Kemmy Burgess was the fourth starter in double figures with 13 points.
But it was a reserve's contribution that pushed UAA from an early second-half deficit to a quick lead and the runaway win. Senior Bob Austin, who had been hobbled the past three weeks with an ankle injury, sparked a 17-2 run after the Seawolves had fallen behind 50-49 at the 15:32 mark.
Austin scored to give the Seawolves the lead and then assisted on Lawrence's layup two minutes later to make it 53-50. The lanky center scored another layup and, after a Burgess three, tipped in a missed shot to make it 60-52 and force a WOU timeout with 11:47 to play. Austin finished with 10 points (5-7 FG) and five rebounds in 16 minutes.
Fitt-Chappell completed UAA's spurt with a pair of free throws that made it 66-52, and the Wolves would never get within single digits again. WOU went to an early fouling strategy, sending UAA to the foul line 22 times in the last four minutes.
The Seawolves wound up making 31 of 48 from the line, but it was their earlier three-point shooting that made the difference. Fitt-Chappell went 4-for-4 from deep to help UAA to the second-best three-point percentage in school history at .714 (10 of 14). UAA came up big on the boards, too, with its largest rebounding margin of the season, 51-24, including a 17-4 advantage on the offensive end.
Along with their rebounding struggles, it was the Wolves' inability to make threes (6 of 26) that made the difference. UAA held WOU guard Robert Day to 15 points - six under his average - including an 0-of-6 effort from beyond the arc.
The Seawolves are back in action Saturday when they host third-ranked Humboldt State (19-4, 10-2) at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. Tip-off is 7:05 p.m.
