The Seattle University men’s basketball team went on an 18-2 run to pull ahead in the second half, and then withstood a late barrage of three-pointers from Alaska Fairbanks to earn a 62-58 victory Thursday night in GNAC action at the Patty Center.
After Colin Matteson hit two free throws to give the Nanooks a 42-40 lead with 12:55 left in the second half, SeattleU scored ten unanswered points, including six from Austen Powers (). After Matteson hit two more free throws, the Redhawks ran off another eight straight points, including two baskets from Michael Wright (), to take a 58-44 lead with 1:23 remaining in regulation.
Alaska Fairbanks (4-18, 1-12 GNAC) hit four three-pointers in a 32-second span to come within three at 61-58 with 11 seconds left, but Ryan Coldren (Fall Creek, Ore.) made one of two free throws to ice the game for SeattleU. The Redhawks allowed the Nanooks back into the contest by hitting only 5-of-10 free throws and committing two turnovers in the final 1:23.
Ricky Berry (, ) led with 12 points and four assists, while Wright earned 11 points and five rebounds. Powers finished with eight points, four rebounds, and two blocked shots, and Chris Gweth () also had eight points and four rebounds along with three assists. As a team, shot 41.2 percent from the field and committed only 12 turnovers.
The Nanooks were led by Matteson with 19 points, while Mike Titus hit three shots from three-point land to contribute 14 points and six rebounds. Keven Campbell had eight points and five assists, and Travis Pew contributed eight points and eight rebounds. Alaska Fairbanks shot 39.6 percent from the field and outrebounded SeattleU, 36-33, but still lost its 11th straight game, while the Redhawks picked up their fifth straight victory and seventh win in the last eight games.
(16-7, 9-5 GNAC) heads to to face the Seawolves of Alaska Anchorage Saturday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. time. Alaska Anchorage, the top-ranked team in the region, defeated SeattleU 45-38 earlier this season and beat Montana State Billings, 90-46, Thursday night.