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Thompson lifts UAA past UAF for Osborne's 200th

Men's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Thompson lifts UAA past UAF for Osborne's 200th

FAIRBANKS – Senior guard Travis Thompson scored 21 points and Alaska Anchorage led wire-to-wire to earn a 76-64 Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday night.

The Seawolves (8-7, 4-1 GNAC) also got 10 points apiece from guards Brian McGill, Dom Hunter and Derrick Fain as they won their fifth straight overall and eighth in the last nine trips to the Patty Center. It was also a milestone for UAA's Rusty Osborne, who in his 11th season became the first Seawolf basketball coach to reach 200 career victories.

The Nanooks (5-8, 2-3) were led by 12 points from reserve center Almir Hadzisehovic but the hosts could not complete a huge second-half rally.

UAA scored the first four points of the game and used a 13-4 run to extend its lead to 37-23 at the break, capped by Hunter's 15-foot jumper at the buzzer. The Seawolves came out blazing in the second half as well, getting a 4-point play from Thompson to highlight a 13-2 spurt.

After Kalidou Diouf's hook shot made it 50-25 with 17 minutes left, the Nanooks rallied for the 12 next points. UAF finally sliced the deficit to single digits when Anthony Reese's layup brought the hosts within 55-47 at the 7:50 mark.

McGill answered with a jumper, but UAA's leading scorer was whistled for his fifth foul on a charging call with 6 minutes remaining, and the Nanooks got within 59-54 moments later on Alex Duncan's jumper.

Thompson would be the difference though, sinking 3 of 4 free throws and dishing an assist on Travis Parrish's baseline jumper to bring the lead back to 64-56. The former Dimond High star and GNAC Preseason Player of the Year delivered the dagger with a layup that made it 68-57 with 1:40 to play.

Thompson shot 7 of 11 from the field and added five rebounds and a game-high four assists, helping UAA shoot 51 percent (27 of 53) overall.

UAA outrebounded UAF 32-26 and committed only nine turnovers. Hunter finished 8 of 8 from the free-throw line in his return to action following a toe injury on Nov. 21, while Parrish had six points on 3-of-3 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and no turnovers. Diouf added six points as well.

The Seawolves return to the road next week for games at longtime rivals Seattle Pacific on Thur., Jan. 15 (6:30 p.m. AST) and Montana State Billings on Sat., Jan. 17 (5:30 p.m. AST).

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Players Mentioned

Travis Thompson

#11 Travis Thompson

G
6' 1"
Freshman
Brian McGill

#RS Brian McGill

G
6' 2"
Sophomore
Kalidou Diouf

#RS Kalidou Diouf

F/C
6' 8"
Freshman
Derrick Fain

#14 Derrick Fain

G
6' 4"
Senior
Dom Hunter

#13 Dom Hunter

G
6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Travis Thompson

#11 Travis Thompson

6' 1"
Freshman
G
Brian McGill

#RS Brian McGill

6' 2"
Sophomore
G
Kalidou Diouf

#RS Kalidou Diouf

6' 8"
Freshman
F/C
Derrick Fain

#14 Derrick Fain

6' 4"
Senior
G
Dom Hunter

#13 Dom Hunter

6' 0"
Junior
G