THIS WEEK IN ALASKA ANCHORAGE MEN'S BASKETBALL...
 
Sat., Nov. 22 – 3 pm AST – Alaska Airlines Center – Anchorage, AK
Northwest University (2-2) at Alaska Anchorage (4-2)
&
Sun., Nov. 23 – 1 pm AST – Alaska Airlines Center – Anchorage, AK
Northwest University at Alaska Anchorage
 
LIVE VIDEO: All UAA home contests and GNAC road contests are streamed through the GNAC Network portal at Hudl – gnacnetwork.com/uaaseawolves ... fans can choose between a single event ($12), a 30-day subscription ($25) or a yearly subscription ($120).
 
LIVE STATS: GoSeawolves.com/sidearmstats/mbball
 
TICKETS: GoSeawolves.com
 
UAA TENTATIVE STARTERS (2025-26 stats)
G—Cole Johnson, 6-2, Jr. (7.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.2 spg)
G—Akok Machar, 6-7, Sr. (13.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.2 spg, .489 FG, 14-14 FT)
G—Hasaan Herrington, 6-3, Sr. (9.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, .541 FG, .471 3FG)
F—Bishop Tosi, 6-6, Sr. (8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 spg, .889 FT)
F—Sylas Williams, 6-7, Jr. (12.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.0 spg, .353 3FG)
 
NORTHWEST ADVANCE: The Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team plays returns to the Alaska Airlines Center for the middle portion of a six-game homestand this week, facing NAIA foe Northwest University on Saturday (3 pm) and Sunday (1 pm) ... the Seawolves are looking to extend a 28-game Alaska Airlines Center win streak against non-NCAA opponents.
 
KNOW THE FOE: Located in Kirkland, Wash., NAIA program Northwest University has split its first four games, earning wins over Park University Gilbert (80-68) and Providence, Mont. (94-82), and falling to Rocky Mountain (81-75) and Montana Tech (90-73) ... the Eagles, who play in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, are led by Jr. G Christian Watkins (17.0 ppg, .650 3FG) and Jr. F Logan Stempniak (15.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, .429 3FG).
 
THE SERIES: The programs have not met since UAA's NAIA era in the mid-70s, when UAA won 89-76 and 85-70 decisions, Dec. 18-19, 1975 in Anchorage ... NU was then known as Northwest College.
 
ALASKA/HAWAII CHAMPS: The Seawolves took the title of the Alaska/Hawaii Challenge, presented by Alaska Airlines, with a pair of home victories last week over Hawaii Pacific and Chaminade ... on Saturday, Jr. Cole Johnson scored 15 points, including the game-clinching free throws with 24 seconds left, and dished 4 assists in a 70-65 win over HPU ... Sr. F Bishop Tosi had 14 points (4-6 FG, 6-7 FT), 5 rebounds and 3 assists, while Sr. G Akok Machar tallied 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and a UAA season-high 4 blocks ... on Sunday, tourney Most Outstanding Player Sylas Williams popped for 22 points (10-20 FG) and 8 rebounds, clinching a 57-53 win over Chaminade with a putback basket with 13 seconds left ... fellow all-tourney pick Hasaan Herrington went for 17 points (6-9 FG, 3-6 3FG, 2-2 FT), 5 assists, 3 steals and no turnovers, while Sr. F John McFadden had a key 6 points (3-5 FG), 7 rebounds and 2 steals in just 10 minutes off the bench.
 
TEAM NOTES: The Seawolves lead the early GNAC stats in blocks per game (4.8), steals per game (10.0) and rebounds allowed per game (30.5), while ranking second in scoring defense (68.0 ppg) and FT% (.806) ... UAA has earned .500-or-better records in 16 of the past 18 seasons, and 37 winning records in 47 seasons of NCAA Div. II existence ... the Seawolves have claimed winning conference records in 33 of 43 years belonging to a league ... UAA has 17 20-win seasons since becoming an NCAA Div. II program in 1977-78.
 
COOKIE DON'T CRUMBLE: A transfer from fellow D-II program Texas-Tyler, Sr. G Akok 'Cookie' Machar has emerged as UAA's leading scorer through the first six games, notching double figures five times ... originally from South Sudan and raised in Adelaide, Australia, Machar ranks top-20 in the early GNAC stats at 16th in scoring (13.0 ppg) and rebounding (5.2 rpg), 4th in blocks (1.3), 6th in steals (2.2) and No. 1 in FT% (1.000, 14-14).
 
THE DISH ON BISH: Sr. F/C Bishop Tosi returns for his third year in Green & Gold as the Seawolves' representative on the Preseason All-GNAC Team ... after taking an injury redshirt campaign in 2023-24, the former Bellevue (Wash.) College transfer was an honorable mention All-GNAC performer with 12.6 ppg on .563 FG (5th GNAC), 5.9 rpg (12th GNAC) and 2.5 apg ... along with the go-ahead basket in the victory over Chaminade, Tosi thus far holds GNAC ranks of 14th in rebounding (5.5), 6th in offensive rebounding (2.3), 7th in blocks (1.0) and 3rd in FT% (.889, 24-27).
 
'WOLF BITES: Sr. G/F Hasaan Herrington has blossomed into one of the GNAC's most well-rounded players over his three seasons at UAA, already improving his numbers to 9.7 ppg (.541 FG/.471 3FG/.769 FT), 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg and 2.3 spg ... the former East High star has averaged 12.5 ppg in the four games against D-II foes, including a 17-point (6-9 FG) effort to boost the win over Chaminade ... Jr. F Sylas Williams returned to the lineup after a 3.5-game injury absence to claim Most Outstanding Player honors in the Alaska/Hawaii Challenge last week ... the 2024-25 NWAC Player of the Year at Skagit Valley (Wash.) College, Williams has made multiple three-pointers in his first three games and averaged 16.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1.0 bpg in the wins over HPU and Chaminade ... Jr. G Cole Johnson ranks 4th in the GNAC with 4.3 assists per game, while Sr. F John McFadden is 7th in FG% at .640.
 
TRUST IN RUSTY: In his 21st season (22nd year) at the helm, head coach Rusty Osborne (365-236) has led the Seawolves to six NCAA Tournament bids, including advancement to the 2008 NCAA Div. II Semifinals, and 16 records of .500-or-better in the last 18 seasons … the longest tenured coach in program history and in the GNAC, he became the first UAA coach in any sport to reach 300 career victories when the Seawolves beat Hawaii Pacific on Nov. 13, 2021 … Osborne captured GNAC and NABC West District coach-of-the-year awards in 2008 after becoming the second coach to lead UAA to three consecutive NCAA berths (2006-08), and in 2011-12 his Seawolves posted a 24-10 record to equal the 2nd-most victories in program history; Osborne's 2007-08 club holds that record with a 29-6 mark … before taking over the head job in 2004-05, the Texas native previously served 13 seasons (1991-04) as a UAA assistant, including 11 years as the top assistant … the Seawolves have won over 60 percent of their games with Osborne on the staff, claiming four conference titles and eight trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament ... Osborne is assisted by Ashton Pomrehn (1st season) and Ryan Engebretsen (5th season/6th year).
 
2025-26 Seawolf Individual Honors
HASAAN HERRINGTON
Alaska/Hawaii Challenge All-Tournament Team
BISHOP TOSI
Preseason All-GNAC Team
SYLAS WILLIAMS
Alaska/Hawaii Challenge Most Outstanding Player