A month before they even start practice, the Alaska Anchorage basketball teams have already gotten their first victory of the season, albeit in academic competition.

Men's player Bishop Tosi and women's player Jaisa Gamble took the championship of the annual James Madison Cup last week in a three-hour test of knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. Defeating five other teams of fellow UAA political science majors, the duo became the first student-athletes to win the event.

Held annually since the mid-1980s to highlight Constitution Week, the Madison Cup was the brainchild of political science professor emeritus Jim Muller, and is now headed by associate professor and department chair Forrest Nabors. It features a grueling series of questions categorized by easy (one point), medium (two points) and hard (three points), with bonus points if contestants can also name the article and section.

Gamble and Tosi agreed that their athletic experience was a valuable asset as they navigated their answers and dealt with the pressure of a live audience.

"During the whole competition, we were talking together like we were playing a basketball game," said Gamble, who hails from San Bruno, Calif. "We were like, 'Let's keep our composure, nice and steady. Even when we fell behind, it was like getting back into it layup by layup."

The victory was a year in the making for Tosi, who watched last year's competition and spent the interim devising his strategy.

"I had a game plan set up, knowing the rules and stuff," said Tosi, a former Bartlett High School star. "I went last year and I was like, this isn't too bad, I think I can do it."

Supported by the presence of Gamble's teammates – at least for the first hour – the duo chipped away throughout the 2.5-hour opening round and found themselves in the final, which featured rapid-fire questions.

For their trophy, the pair earned commemorative mugs based on one owned by James Madison, along with an enhanced knowledge set.

After graduation, neither Seawolf is set on a future career – maybe law for Gamble or local politics for Tosi – but both agree their Madison Cup experience was invaluable.

"It was really rewarding because it reinforces that you have a great base of knowledge in a subject that is related to your major," said Tosi.