HILO, Hawaii ? Carl Arts scored 26 points, including the deciding free throws with 5 seconds left, as the Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team finished a three-game sweep of Hawaii schools with a 73-72 win over Hawaii Hilo at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium on Friday night.
The Seawolves (7-3) also got 16 points from McCade Olsen and 10 assists from fellow senior Luke Cooper as they won their fifth straight. UHH (3-4) put five players in double figures, led by guard Rashad Bilal's 17 points.
The game was tight throughout as neither team led by double digits. UAA took its biggest advantage at 49-40 early in the second half before the Vulcans came back.
After UAA went up 71-67, the hosts got a traditional three-point play from center Samuel Wilhoite to draw within one. The Seawolves then threw away the inbounds pass and Wilhoite earned a pair of free throws on Jeremiah Trueman's fifth foul with 16 seconds to play.
The UHH center coolly drained both charities and the Seawolves called timeout to set up a final play. Arts got the ball at the three-point arc and drove strong to the basket where he was fouled hard by Jay De Maestri. The senior from Valdez nailed both charities with 5 seconds left, setting up one last chance for the Vulcans.
But Bilal drove upcourt and dribbled the ball off his foot and out of bounds for his seventh turnover with one second showing, and UAA was able to inbound the ball and dribble out the clock for the win.
Senior guard Chris Bryant had 10 points ? all in the first half ? as he was one of three Seawolves to foul out. Olsen also fouled out after going 5 of 9 from the field, including 3 of 3 on three-pointers.
Cooper nearly earned his second double-double of the year with eight points and 10 assists, while freshman Kevin White drained both of his long-range attempts for six points.
Overall, UAA shot an impressive 57.8 percent from the field and 57.1 percent on treys (12 of 21).
The Seawolves return to action next week with a pair of games in the AT&T Alascom Jamboree at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. UAA will take on Ferris State on Dec. 28 and Christian Brothers on Dec. 29. Both games tip at 7 p.m. AST.
