Scoreboard

Seawolves ride defense to record win over Seattle

Men's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Seawolves ride defense to record win over Seattle

SEATTLE ? Led by another double-double from senior forward Carl Arts and a suffocating team defensive effort, the 9th-ranked Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team pushed its winning streak to 13 games with a 45-38 victory Thursday over Seattle University at the Connolly Center.

The Seawolves (15-3, 6-0 GNAC) prevailed in the lowest-scoring game in school and Great Northwest Athletic Conference history thanks also to senior guard Chris Bryant, who scored nine of his 11 points in the second half, including four clutch free throws in the final minute.

Seattle (9-6, 2-4), meanwhile, which had been ranked as high as No. 7 earlier in the season, lost for the sixth time in nine outings. The Redhawks were led by 13 points from guard Ryan Coldren.

After playing to a 17-17 halftime tie and a 25-25 deadlock at the 10-minute mark, UAA went on an 8-0 mini-run to take the lead for good. McCade Olsen scored six points during that streak to give UAA a 33-25 advantage, but the Redhawks rallied for six points in just 46 seconds to slice it back to a two-point game at the 4:19 mark.

Arts, UAA's All-America hopeful from Valdez, then took over on the offensive end, scoring back-to-back free throws and converting a layup to put his team back up by six. After Shaun Burl hit SU's only three-pointer of the night to make it 37-34, Arts answered again with a short jumper in the lane.

The Redhawks crept within 41-38 on a traditional three-point play by Coldren with 14 seconds to play, but Bryant stepped to the line and drained a pair of free throws to ice the contest.

Arts wound up with 16 points (5-9 FG, 5-6 FT) and 10 rebounds, while Bryant scored 11 on 3-of-9 shooting (4-4 FT). Olsen and Cameron Burney pulled down six rebounds apiece for UAA and point guard Luke Cooper had four assists and two steals.

For Arts, who leads the GNAC with 8.4 rebounds per game, it was his sixth double-double this season and the 12th in his 4-year career.

The Seawolf defense stifled the Redhawks all night, holding them to 27 percent (13 of 48) from the field and 1 of 9 on treys. UAA shot just 36 percent but won the rebounding battle 36-30.

The game broke multiple records, including school marks for fewest points combined (previously 87 in a 52-35 win at Western New Mexico, Feb. 1999) and fewest points scored by UAA in a victory (52-35 at WNMU, Feb. 1999; 52-51 vs Seattle, Jan. 2004). The Seawolves also broke the record for fewest points allowed in a GNAC game for the second time this month, improving on their 42-point defensive effort Jan. 5 at Saint Martin's.

UAA will aim to tie another school record with its 14th straight win when its visits Montana State Billings (1-16, 1-5) on Saturday (5 p.m. AST).

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Carl Arts

#34 Carl Arts

F
6' 6"
Junior
Luke Cooper

#14 Luke Cooper

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Cameron Burney

#30 Cameron Burney

F
6' 6"
Sophomore
McCade Olsen

#23 McCade Olsen

F
6' 8"
Junior
Chris Bryant

#2 Chris Bryant

G
6' 4"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Carl Arts

#34 Carl Arts

6' 6"
Junior
F
Luke Cooper

#14 Luke Cooper

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Cameron Burney

#30 Cameron Burney

6' 6"
Sophomore
F
McCade Olsen

#23 McCade Olsen

6' 8"
Junior
F
Chris Bryant

#2 Chris Bryant

6' 4"
Senior
G