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Pioneers claim 7th over Seawolves

Men's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Pioneers claim 7th over Seawolves

ANCHORAGE – Point guard Brett Olson had 19 points and five assists to spark a Denver comeback Saturday as the Pioneers defeated host Alaska Anchorage 78-71 in the 7th-place game of the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout at Sullivan Arena.

Denver (1-4) also got 15 points, seven assists and four blocks to erase a 15-point first-half deficit.

UAA (5-4), ranked No. 19 in NCAA Div. II, was led by 20 points from junior guard Travis Thompson, who sank 6 of 8 from three-point range. Senior guard Kyle Fossman scored all 16 of his points in the first half as the Seawolves built a 42-27 lead.

But the Pioneers – picked second in the Summit League preseason poll – came back with an 8-0 run to end the half, and continued their momentum into the second stanza. Olson nailed a trey with 13:33 remaining to give his team a 49-47 edge, and he gave the Pioneers a 71-64 lead with another long-distance bomb at the 5:11 mark.

UAA's Teancum Stafford –held scoreless through the first 29 minutes – answered with a personal 7-0 run, capped by a fastbreak dunk to tie it 71-71 with 2:46 left.

Denver reserve guard Bryant Rucker calmly pulled up for a 15-foot jumper on the next trip down the floor, however, as the Pioneers would end the game with the final seven points.

UAA went winless in the Shootout for the first time since 2007, however the Seawolves went on to win the GNAC and advance to the NCAA Semifinals that season.

The Seawolves return to Div. II play next week when they host rival Alaska Fairbanks in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener, Dec. 7 at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. Tip time is set for 7:30 p.m. AST.


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Players Mentioned

Kyle Fossman

#24 Kyle Fossman

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Travis Thompson

#11 Travis Thompson

G
6' 1"
Freshman
Teancum Stafford

#30 Teancum Stafford

G
6' 5"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Kyle Fossman

#24 Kyle Fossman

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Travis Thompson

#11 Travis Thompson

6' 1"
Freshman
G
Teancum Stafford

#30 Teancum Stafford

6' 5"
Sophomore
G