CARSON, Calif. – Junior guard Suki Wiggs recorded a near triple-double Sunday but it wasn't enough for the Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team in a 79-70 loss to Colorado-Colorado Springs in the final day of the CCA Div. II Tip-Off Classic at the Torodome.
The Seawolves (1-2) got 21 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists from Wiggs, a 6-4 transfer from Div. I Idaho, while senior forward Christian Leckband added 15 points and junior guard Spencer Svejcar had 13 points.
The Mountain Lions (1-2) – the defending Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament champions – got 17 points and 13 rebounds from guard TreShawn Wilford to lead a balanced scoring effort, along with forward Alex Welch's 15 points and eight rebounds.
Junior guard Diante Mitchell nailed a three-pointer midway through the first half to give UAA a 17-12 lead, but the Mountain Lions responded with a game-deciding 20-0 run, holding the Seawolves scoreless for a 7-minute stretch.
UAA ended the first half with an 8-1 run to hit the locker room down 34-25, and Svejcar began to get hot in the second stanza, making it a 49-44 game with a layup at the 11:44 mark. The Seawolves faced the same deficit at 59-54 after Mitchell snagged a steal and fed Wiggs for a layup and a traditional three-point play with 6:57 remaining, however UCCS guard Brandon Malone nailed a trey just 11 seconds later, then followed with two free throws and another jumper.
The Seawolves got within 71-66 on Corey Hammell's free throw with 1:09 remaining but could get no closer.
Wiggs shot 7 of 18 from the floor and 6 of 10 at the charity stripe to begin his UAA career with three straight 20-plus scoring efforts, following 21 points in Friday's win over Upper Iowa and a tournament-record 34 in Saturday's loss to No. 11 Cal Baptist.
Leckband – who came just two points shy of equaling his career-high – added six rebounds on shot 5 of 8 from the field (3-5 3FG) in his first starting assignment of 2015-16.
Mitchell and junior forward Tayler Thompson added six points apiece in the loss.
The Seawolves open their home schedule next week with games against Lincoln Christian at the Alaska Airlines Center. Friday's tip is set for 7:30 p.m. and Saturday's for 4 p.m. For tickets, visit GoSeawolves.com or call 907-786-1562.
