Scoreboard

Blue Raiders blow past Rockets for GCI Great Alaska Shootout title

Men's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Blue Raiders blow past Rockets for GCI Great Alaska Shootout title

ANCHORAGE – Junior forward Reggie Upshaw scored 17 points and sophomore guard Giddy Potts had a huge all-around effort Saturday to power Middle Tennessee to the GCI Great Alaska Shootout title with a 78-70 victory over Toledo in Saturday night's championship game at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Potts had 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, six rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Blue Raiders (4-1), who rallied from a nine-point deficit late in the first half.

The Rockets (4-2) got 20 points from junior guard Jonathan Williams, plus 19 points, 12 rebounds and five assists – with no turnovers – from the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, senior center Nathan Boothe.

Toledo controlled the action in the first half and led 23-14 when guard Stuckey Mosley drilled a three-pointer at the 6:41 mark. But Middle Tennessee got a trey from guard Jaqawn Raymond two minutes later to start a big surge for the Conference-USA club, and Upshaw – who had been scoreless to that point – sank a dramatic three-pointer from the top of the arc to tie it 32-32 at the halftime buzzer.

The Blue Raiders took control immediately in the second half, starting with an 8-0 run that gave them the lead for good. After Mosely trimmed the Rockets' deficit to 52-51 on a layup with 10 minutes left, Upshaw responded with consecutive baskets to start a 10-0 Middle Tennessee spurt.

The Rockets cut their deficit to six points on five occasions in the last three minutes but could get no closer.

Upshaw shot 7 of 9 from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds as he joined Potts on the all-tournament team. Raymond finished with 13 points, four rebounds and five assists, and all-tournament selection Perrin Buford had 10 points for the winners.

Both programs were making their first appearances at the GCI Great Alaska Shootout, which celebrated its 38th annual edition this week.

2015 GCI Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament Team
Perrin Buford, Middle Tennessee
Stuckey Mosley, Toledo
Giddy Potts, Middle Tennessee
Frank Rogers, San Jose State
Duda Sanadze, San Diego
Dylan Smith, UNC Asheville
Devon Turk, Loyola Chicago
Reggie Upshaw, Middle Tennessee
Sekou 'Suki' Wiggs, Alaska Anchorage
Jonathan Williams, Toledo
Most Outstanding Player: Nathan Boothe, Toledo

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Sekou

#2 Sekou 'Suki' Wiggs

G
6' 4"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Sekou

#2 Sekou 'Suki' Wiggs

6' 4"
Junior
G