ANCHORAGE – Senior Meghan Vaughan scored a career-high 19 points to lead a second-half surge Saturday that carried Alaska Anchorage to a 75-65 women's basketball victory over Central Washington at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

UAA (20-4, 9-4 GNAC) also got 15 points from Keyona Brooks and 14 points and nine rebounds from Rebecca Kielpinski as the Seawolves earned their first 20-win season in seven years.

CWU (15-8, 5-7) was led by guard Hanna Hull's 18-point effort, while guard Ashley Fenimore had 10 points.

The Wildcats started hot from three-point range and forged a 27-19 lead with 3 minutes left in the first half when Lauren Short nailed a trey. UAA closed to within 31-28 when Jennifer Salazar hit a three just before the buzzer, then started the second half on an 11-3 run to take a 5-point lead.

CWU bounced back immediately with an 8-0 run of its own, however, taking a 42-39 advantage with 10 minutes to play.

But the Seawolf bench took over from that point, as Brooks' layup started a 26-5 run that would decide the game. Brooks, Vaughan, Mari Callahan and Tenecia Lockard – all reserves – scored the first 14 points of that spurt as UAA's bench outscored CWU 42-15.

The Seawolves got just two bench points in Thursday's victory over league-leading Seattle Pacific. UAA is now just one-half game behind SPU in the league standings with three games to play. SPU has four games left.

UAA has a full week off before ending its home season with a game against Northwest Nazarene, Sat., Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.