ANAHEIM, Calif. ? Humboldt State got a tip-in at the regulation buzzer and hit the key big shots in overtime Sunday to hand the Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team its third straight narrow loss to start the season, 83-81 at the Disney Div. II Tip-Off Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Sophomore guard Kevin White scored a career-high 20 points for UAA, while junior forward Casey Robinson led all scorers with 22 points.
Freshman Elliot Babcock-Krenk came off the bench to hit three three-pointers for Humboldt State (1-2), while forward Kyle Baxter and reserve center David Howard had 12 points apiece for the California school.
In the final three minutes of regulation, Babcock-Krenk twice gave the Lumberjacks a one-point lead with long-range shots, but the Seawolves managed to counter, taking a two-point advantage of their own when Robinson (8-16 FG, 4-9 3FG, 7 rebounds) drained a three-pointer with 7 seconds remaining. Humboldt State's Ernie Spada missed a potential game-winning three, but Zac Tiedeman tipped the ball back into the basket to force overtime.
Babcock-Krenk nailed two more threes to start the overtime, and Colt Mathews and Tiedeman hit critical free throws down the stretch. White drove for the potential tying basket, but Babcock-Krenk blocked the shot to end the contest.
White had three treys for the Seawolves, playing 41 minutes, while senior center Jeremiah Trueman scored also had a career-high with 16 points (4-6 FG, 8-8 FT). Sophomore guard Brandon Walker, a transfer from nearby Loyola Marymount, was the fourth Seawolf in double figures with 12 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 3FG).
Senior guard Kenny Barker, who came in with a team-high 20.0 ppg average over the first two games, was held to just four points (0-3 FG, 4-4 FT) while battling foul trouble.
UAA lost despite leading 41-30 at halftime and by as many as 12 points in the second half. The Seawolves also committed 17 turnovers to HSU's eight.
UAA did shoot a respectable 9 of 25 (36 percent) from the three-point line, while making better than 80 percent (26-29, 89.7 percent) from the free-throw line for the third straight day.
The Seawolves do not return to the court until Nov. 26 when they host Division I Hampton in the first round of the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout at Sullivan Arena.
