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Svejcar, Seawolves deny Nanooks in OT, 100-91

Men's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Svejcar, Seawolves deny Nanooks in OT, 100-91

FAIRBANKS – Sekou 'Suki' Wiggs had 30 points and 11 rebounds and the Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team got clutch performances from fellow guards Spencer Svejcar and Brian McGill to capture a 100-91 overtime victory over Alaska Fairbanks at the Patty Center on Saturday night.

The Seawolves (15-4, 8-0 GNAC) got a season-high 25 points from McGill and a career-high 22 points from Svejcar – including the game-tying three-pointer with 2 seconds remaining – as they retained a one-game lead over Western Oregon and denied the UAF a share of first place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings.

The Nanooks (12-4, 6-2) were led by 21 points from guard Brandon Davis, plus 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists from senior wing Travante Williams, whose late free throws nearly sealed the game in regulation.

After trailing 39-36 at halftime and 53-46 with 13 minutes left, the Seawolves finally hit their stride with an 8-0 run. Senior forward Christian Leckband scored twice during the surge, including a backdoor layup that made it 54-53, and McGill extended to a 62-55 edge with two free throws at the 7:08 mark.

The Nanooks would get hot from long range, however, with Davis's three-pointer reclaiming the lead for the hosts at 63-62. After UAF's Bangaly Kaba made it 72-68 with a layup at the 1:12 mark, Wiggs answered with a pair of free throws, then hit a long, closely guard three-pointer to slice the deficit to 74-73.

Williams sank two free throws with 12 seconds showing, but McGill found Svejcar for a straight-away three-pointer that he line-drived home despite a Nanook defender in his face.

After Kaba answered McGill's free throws with a short jumper to start the overtime scoring, Svejcar drained another three-pointer, and McGill hit one from the corner for an 84-78 lead. The Seawolves pushed their advantage to 10 points twice in the extra session as the Nanooks never got closer than six points again.

UAA got 97 of its 100 points from only five players, as junior forward Corey Hammell chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds, and Leckband finished with nine points.

Svejcar – a transfer from Laramie County (Wyo.) Community College – shot 4 of 6 on threes to top his previous best of 20 points in a Seawolf uniform. Meanwhile, McGill reached the 25-point plateau for the first time this year and the eighth time in his three-year career. The Oregon native shot 16 of 16 from the free throw line to break one of the oldest records in program history – Kirk Abbeglen's 14-of-14 performance from Dec. 12, 1981 (vs. NW Missouri State).

Wiggs shot 10 of 24 from the floor as the junior transfer became just the 11th player in UAA history to score at least 30 points on four or more occasions.  The former Idaho Vandal also extended his school-record streak to 19 straight games with 20 points or more.

The Seawolves complete the first half of the GNAC campaign with road games next week at nationally ranked Western Oregon (Thur., Jan. 21, 6:30 p.m. AST) and league newcomer Concordia-Portland (Sat., Jan. 23, 6:30 p.m. AST). The Seawolves lead WOU (14-2, 7-1) by one game atop the league standings.

 
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Players Mentioned

Christian Leckband

#1 Christian Leckband

F
6' 5"
Freshman
Brian McGill

#RS Brian McGill

G
6' 2"
Sophomore
Corey Hammell

#25 Corey Hammell

F
6' 6"
Junior
Spencer Svejcar

#20 Spencer Svejcar

G
6' 4"
Junior
Sekou

#2 Sekou 'Suki' Wiggs

G
6' 4"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Christian Leckband

#1 Christian Leckband

6' 5"
Freshman
F
Brian McGill

#RS Brian McGill

6' 2"
Sophomore
G
Corey Hammell

#25 Corey Hammell

6' 6"
Junior
F
Spencer Svejcar

#20 Spencer Svejcar

6' 4"
Junior
G
Sekou

#2 Sekou 'Suki' Wiggs

6' 4"
Junior
G