#19 Vikings overcome Seawolf men

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Junior forward Casey Robinson scored 17 points but the Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team could not stop a second-half comeback effort Thursday by nationally 19th-ranked Western Washington as the Vikings earned a 68-62 victory over the Seawolves at Carver Gymnasium.

UAA (10-3, 1-1 GNAC) also got 14 points and 11 rebounds from junior forward Nick Pacitti as it suffered its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference loss and saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end.

Derrick Webb led WWU (15-2, 2-1) with a game-high 20 points, while fellow forward Zach Bruce delivered 14 points and 10 rebounds for the defending GNAC champions and 2009-10 preseason favorites.

The Seawolves – who had won four of their last five against the Vikings – were on track for a possible upset again when they grabbed a 30-20 halftime lead. UAA extended to a 49-38 lead on a Robinson three-pointer with just over 10 minutes remaining, but things would go awry for the visitors at that point.

UAA would not score again for almost five minutes while WWU could not be stopped during a 15-0 run gave it the lead for good.

Donnie Lao made a pair of second-half three-pointers and finished with 12 points and three assists, while freshman center Liam Gibcus finished with eight points and six rebounds.

Junior Brandon Walker, the Seawolves' leading scorer, finished with just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting as his 10-game double-digit scoring streak came to an end. The 6-3 guard did dish a game-high four assists, however.

Pacitti, meanwhile, delivered his fourth double-double in six games.

The Seawolves will finish their first league road trip Saturday when they take on Central Washington in Ellensburg. Tip-off is 6:30 p.m. AST.

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Players Mentioned

#44 Casey Robinson: F; 6' 6"; Junior

#22 Brandon Walker: G; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#32 Liam Gibcus: F/C; 6' 10"; Freshman

#30 Donnie Lao: G; 6' 3"; Junior

#34 Nick Pacitti: F; 6' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#44 Casey Robinson
: 6' 6"; Junior
: F

#22 Brandon Walker
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: G

#32 Liam Gibcus
: 6' 10"; Freshman
: F/C

#30 Donnie Lao
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G

#34 Nick Pacitti
: 6' 6"; Junior
: F