ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Mar. 9) – Alaska Anchorage senior guard Tyson Gilbert propelled a big second-half comeback with 24 points, but Central Washington responded to earn a 78-69 victory Saturday night in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championships title game at Nicholson Pavilion.

The 6th-seeded Seawolves (22-10) also got 14 points from freshman center Sloan Lentfer as they erased a 13-point halftime deficit before the hosts responded with a game-ending surge.

The 4th-seeded Wildcats (21-9) were led by 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting and 14 rebounds from tournament MVP Samaad Hector, earning the GNAC's automatic bid to next week's NCAA Div. II West Regional Championships.

"We played about as poorly as we have over the last month in the first half – we were not ourselves," said UAA head coach Rusty Osborne, whose team had rallied from four double-digit deficits to enter Saturday's contest with a 7-1 record since Feb. 15. "But our guys are resilient, and once we talked about it at halftime, we were able to regroup and put a run together. Once it got down to about a two-possession game there in the last few minutes, we missed a tough shot around the rim and they made one. And rebounding hurt us all night. Our first-shot defense was really good, but they got a lot of second-chance points."

After splitting their regular-season meetings with the Wildcats, the Seawolves were not able to get going offensively in the opening 20 minutes, while Central Washington shot 52 percent from the field to grab a 39-26 lead at the break.

UAA would control the first few minutes of the second half behind the play of Lentfer, who scored 10 straight points to make it a 44-38 game at the 15-minute mark. A trey by Gilbert sliced it to 44-43, and junior point guard Dillon Barrientos took advantage of an offensive rebound by Hasaan Herrington to tie it 46-46 on a three-pointer at the 12:33 mark.

Central Washington reserve guard Seth Dawson answered with a layup just 15 seconds later, however, and Calvin Holden scored twice in 60 seconds to keep the hosts ahead 53-49.

Despite trailing 66-58 with five minutes left, the Seawolves were able to make one more charge, drawing within 66-63 on two free throws by Sawyer Storms with 3:54 remaining. Again, the Wildcats responded quickly, getting a traditional three-point play by Jordan Clark 14 seconds later, and taking a 72-65 lead when Clark converted a driving layup with 2:03 left.

A First Team All-GNAC performer, Gilbert shot 9 of 19 from the field and 4 of 9 from long range to keep the Seawolves within striking distance. The Highlands Ranch, Colo., native and Colorado State-Pueblo transfer completed his four-year collegiate career with 1,288 points, overcoming a two-year layoff due to open-heart surgery, Covid and a torn Achilles' tendon.

Lentfer shot 6 of 9 from the field as last year's Alaska 3A Player of the Year scored his second-most points in Green & Gold, along with three rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Storms – a two-time honorable mention All-GNAC performer – also aided the second-half comeback with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Barrientos had nine points, and senior Jaron Williams added seven points and three steals.

"Our guys showed their character right up to the end," said Osborne, whose team will likely fall short of NCAA Tournament qualification despite an 18-10 record against Div. II competition. "Even after the game, standing there patiently, waiting for them to celebrate, which they well deserved. That's the character of this bunch. They are great representatives of UAA, Anchorage and Alaska, and I'm going to miss coaching this group."

NOTES: UAA's 22 wins were its most since going 23-7 in 2011-12 and marked the 17th 20-win season in program history, dating to NCAA Div. II membership in 1977-78 … the Seawolves fell to 0-4 in GNAC Tournament title games, losing to Central Washington for the second time (2011) … Lentfer scored double figures for the third time this season – all since Feb. 15 … the Seawolves lose five seniors from this year's team – Gilbert, Storms, Williams and guards Dathan Satchell and Caleb Larsen.