Hot-shooting WOU downs UAA in Monmouth

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Despite strong inside offense from freshmen Kalidou Diouf and Sjur Berg, the Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team could not keep up with hot-shooting Western Oregon in an 87-66 loss at the New P.E. Building on Saturday.

The Seawolves (3-5, 1-1 GNAC) got 16 points on perfect 7-of-7 shooting from Diouf, plus 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting from Norwegian rookie Berg, but they never recovered from an 11-0 WOU run late in the first half that turned a 24-22 UAA lead into a 42-30 halftime deficit.

The Wolves (7-2, 2-0) were led by guard Julian Nichols, who had 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting (3-of-3 3FGs) and nine assists. Reserve guard Adam Hastings added 16 points on 6-of-9 accuracy to help WOU snap an 8-game home losing streak to UAA. WOU's last home win vs. the Seawolves was Feb, 16, 2006.

Junior point guard Brian McGill added 14 points – all in the second half – and six assists for UAA, which was playing without Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year Travis Thompson. Thompson, a 6-1 senior guard, suffered an ankle injury late in UAA's Thursday victory at Saint Martin's and missed the first game of this 4-year career Saturday.

Senior guard Derrick Fain was the fourth Seawolf in double figures with 12 points, while junior forward Christian Leckband tallied eight points for the second straight game. Diouf led UAA and tied WOU's Andy Avgi with a game-high five rebounds.

WOU shot 54.4 percent (31 of 57) from the floor, including 10 of 21 (.476) from long range.

UAA returns home for key NCAA Div. II West Region contests against Humboldt State and BYU-Hawaii in the Seawolf Jamboree, Dec. 12-13 at the Alaska Airlines Center.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Travis Thompson: G; 6' 1"; Freshman

#1 Christian Leckband: F; 6' 5"; Freshman

#RS Brian McGill: G; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#RS Kalidou Diouf: F/C; 6' 8"; Freshman

#2 Sjur Berg: F; 6' 7"; Freshman

#14 Derrick Fain: G; 6' 4"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#11 Travis Thompson
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: G

#1 Christian Leckband
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: F

#RS Brian McGill
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: G

#RS Kalidou Diouf
: 6' 8"; Freshman
: F/C

#2 Sjur Berg
: 6' 7"; Freshman
: F

#14 Derrick Fain
: 6' 4"; Senior
: G