ANCHORAGE (Nov. 27) ? Kyle Spain scored 22 points, including the game-winning free throws with 11.2 seconds remaining, to lift San Diego State to a 59-58 victory over Western Carolina on Thursday in the first round of the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout at Sullivan Arena.

Point guard Richie Williams added 15 points on 5-of-6 three-point shooting for the Aztecs (3-1), who advance to Friday's 8 p.m. semifinal against Seattle University.

The Catamounts (1-2) got a standout performance from freshman guard Harouna Mutombo, who was all over the floor and the stat sheet with 20 points (7-11 FG, 4-4 FT), six rebounds, four assists and five steals.

After SDSU tied it at 46-46 with an 8-0 run, WCU managed to pull ahead again, but never by more than four points.

As the clock approached 1 minute remaining with WCU leading 56-54, Spain made the play of the game when he made an athletic, leaping steal on the defensive end of the court and raced in for a slam dunk. WCU forward Jake Robinson (16 points, 4-9 3FG) was called for a foul on the play, becoming the third Catamount to foul out, and Spain coolly sank the free throw to put his team up by one.

Mutombo answered on the other end, however, spinning wildly through the lane and converting a short bank shot.

After an SDSU miss, the Catamounts had a chance to make it a two- of three-point lead, but Greg Avery came up short on a pair of free throws with 14 second left. On the ensuing scramble for the rebound, Mutombo was whistled for a foul on Spain, setting up the 6-5 senior for the winning charities.

WCU did not get a shot off on its final possession as the defense collapsed on Mutombo, forcing a traveling call with 0.2 seconds on the clock.

Spain was named the Carrs/Safeway Player of the game as he also tallied game-highs of eight rebounds and five assists.

WCU, of the Southern Conference, will meet Western Athletic Conference foe Louisiana Tech in Friday's 2 p.m. consolation semifinal.