ANCHORAGE – Eric Draper scored a game-high 22 points, but his final three-point attempt rimmed off at the buzzer as Seattle University escaped the Wells Fargo Sports Complex with a 69-66 men's basketball victory over Alaska Anchorage on Thursday night.
The Seawolves (16-7, 7-5 GNAC), ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Div. II West Region, also got 11 points and eight rebounds from Carl Arts, but they shot a season-low 38.5 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, the Redhawks (14-8, 6-5), ranked 10th in the region, improved their playoff chances by shooting 54.2 percent. Forward Leigh Swanson led the way with 16 points, while point guard Ryan Webb had 15 points and five assists, and Ricky Berry scored 10 points off the bench.
The game was tight throughout, with neither team leading by double digits. Seattle took control midway through the second half and built a pair of 8-point leads, only to see the Seawolves knot it at 61-61.
After Swanson made a layup to put SU ahead again, Arts answered with a pair of free throws to tie the game a final time at the 2-minute mark.
But the Seawolves could not convert in the clutch, and Seattle took a 67-63 lead with 30 seconds left on back-to-back baskets from Swanson and center David White. Draper nailed his sixth three-pointer (6-14) with 10 seconds left to make it 67-66 and Webb followed three seconds later with a pair of free throws.
UAA got the ball to Draper at the three-point line, but he was well guarded and his step-back try hit the back of the rim and rolled off to the left as time expired.
The loss snaps UAA's 3-game winning streak and gives SU the season sweep – by a total of four points – between the Great Northwest Athletic Conference rivals.
Seawolf point guard Luke Cooper had seven assists to push his season total to 190, just 10 shy Bryan Anderson's school record (1993-94).
The Seawolves, who play their final three games on the road, face a must-win in the chase for the region's eight playoff spots when they host Western Washington on Sat., Feb. 17 for Senior Night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the WFSC.
