Magden leads No. 3 ASU over GCSU

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Augusta State shot 64 percent in the first half Monday night and opened its Peach Belt Conference schedule with an 80-68 victory over Georgia College & State in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
With the victory, the third-ranked Jaguars improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the PBC. The Bobcats, who entered the game averaging more than 103 points per game, dropped to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the league.
The win marked ASU’s fifth straight in the series with GCSU and improved to the Jaguars to 30-7 in conference play under fifth-year head coach Dip Metress.
Junior guard Ben Madgen (Williamstown, VIC) led six Jaguars in double figures with 14 points. Fellow juniors Daniel Dixon and Fred Brathwaite netted 13 points each, while Greg Hire, Garret Siler and Caleb Brown booked 10 points each. Hire registered his second double-double in as many games, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds.
Shaun Keaton tallied a game-high 18 points for GCSU, which connected on 11 3-pointers in the contest but shot just 36.4 percent from the field. Ken Kemp and Justin Brown chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.
ASU jumped ahead with a 19-2 run midway through the first half with Brathwaite giving the Jags a 31-13 lead on a jumper at the 7:05 mark. After the Bobcats got within 13, ASU closed the half on a 9-3 run to open up a 48-29 lead – it’s largest of the game -- at halftime.
The Bobcats fought back early in the second half, outscoring ASU 15-4 to close within 52-44 on a Josh Hurst jumper at the 13:51 mark. The Jags pushed their lead back to as much as 15 on a Siler free throw before GCSU answered with a 10-0 spurt. Keaton capped the run with a pair of free throws to cut the Bobcat deficit to 65-60 with just 3:03 remaining.
On ASU’s next possession, Dixon drilled a 3-pointer with the shot clock running down and Hire added two free throws to give the Jags a 70-60 cushion. ASU scored its last 12 points from the free throw line as the visitors fouled to extend the game.
ASU hit a season-high 26-of-29 free throws and connected on eight treys. The Jags outrebounded GCSU 40-32 and received a season-high 29 points from their bench.
ASU returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 20 when it travels to Bowie, Md., to take on the Bowie State Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m.
Augusta State def. GCSU 80-68 (Box Score)

Seawolves host Rockhurst, Dowling in AT&T Jamboree

The Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball team (3-7) plays host to visitors Rockhurst (Mo.) and Dowling (N.Y.) in the 17^th annual AT&T Alascom Jamboree, Dec. 20-22 at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. The event kicks off Saturday night with UAA vs. Rockhurst at 7:30 p.m. Get complete details, including how to follow all of the action live, in the weekly release.

Saint Leo tops UAA again, 71-63

ANCHORAGE (Dec. 17) – The Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball team came all the way back from a 12-point deficit Wednesday but couldn’t finish the job as Saint Leo earned a 71-63 win over the Seawolves at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

UAA (3-7) was led by an 18-point, 11-rebound effort from sophomore guard Brandon Walker, while sophomore Lonnie Ridgeway had a career-high-tying 14 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Saint Leo (6-5) got a near-flawless showing from junior forward Josue Vazquez, who led the Floridians with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in 36 minutes.

Forward Kyle Rowland scored 14 points for the Lions, who handed the Seawolves their first back-to-back losses at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex since Feb. 2005. Saint Leo won Tuesday’s game 74-62.

This was a tighter affair, however, as the Seawolves rebounded from a 36-24 deficit late in the first half.

Senior center Jeremiah Trueman had all 10 of his points and six of his seven rebounds after halftime to keep UAA within striking distance, and the Seawolves finally tied it 53-53 on a Ridgeway layup with 5:36 to play.

But Vazquez then earned a pair of free throws on Saint Leo’s next possession and Rowland followed with a nifty bank shot in traffic to retake the lead for good, and the Lions clinched it from the free throw line.

On a night when neither team was hot from three-point range, free throws made all the difference, with Saint Leo sinking 22 of 31 and UAA going 9 of 12.

UAA outrebounded the Sunshine State Conference foe for the second straight night, 38-32, led by Walker’s career-high 11.

Walker played all 40 minutes in the first start of his Seawolf career, shooting 7 of 14 and dishing three assists. Fellow backcourt newcomer Darren Nye also had his first start and responded with easily his best performance – 11 points (4-8 FG), five assists and no turnovers in 27 minutes.

Leading scorer Kenny Barker was held in check again, however, grabbing seven rebounds but finishing with only six points – 11 under his average – on 3-of-11 shooting.

The Seawolves are back in action Saturday when they host Rockhurst (Mo.) in the AT&T Alascom Jamboree. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m., following the UAA women’s game against Cal State Stanislaus.

Lions snap Seawolf home streak, 74-62

ANCHORAGE (Dec. 16) – Senior center Jeremiah Trueman’s career-high 25 points weren’t enough Tuesday as the Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball team dropped a 74-62 decision to Saint Leo at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

The loss snapped UAA’s 19-game winning streak on its primary home court, despite a late rally.

Saint Leo (5-5), of the Sunshine State Conference, was led by 17 points and seven assists from guard Quentin Cullop, plus 15 points and five rebounds from center Jordan Prais. The Lions out-shot the Seawolves 56.6 percent (30 of 53) to 41.3 percent (26-63) from the field, including a 60 percent (9 of 15) to 23 percent (3 of 13) advantage from three-point range.

The Seawolves (3-6) never led the Florida school, falling behind 11-4 early and 25-14 after almost 11 minutes. Trueman cut the deficit to 25-18 on a layup, but the Seawolves would not score again for the next six minutes.

Saint Leo earned its largest lead at 38-18 before UAA scored the final five points of the half.

UAA came out sharper in the second half, clawing within single digits, 55-47, on Brandon Walker’s layup at the 9:01 mark. A free throw by Walker made it 59-54 with 4:46 remaining.

The comeback was not to be, however, as Saint Leo used a 5-point possession to salt the game away. With 2:18 left and the score 62-54, Cullop was fouled while making a trey, then Prais nailed a short jumper after the Lions corralled an offensive rebound.

Walker scored all 10 of his points in the second half, while senior guard Kenny Barker had 12 points, six rebounds, five assists, zero turnovers and three steals.

Trueman was easily UAA’s offensive star of the night, however, shooting 11 of 21 from the field and tallying his second career double-double with 10 rebounds. The 6-9 center from New Zealand also matched his career-high with three assists.

The loss was UAA’s first by double digits at the WFSC since a 105-79 defeat to 17^th-ranked Western Washington on Feb. 17, 2005.

UAA gets a chance at revenge Wednesday when its hosts the Lions again at 7 p.m. at the WFSC.

--BOX AND PLAY BY PLAY ATTACHED--

Nate Sagan
Sports Information Director

University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr. / Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / Fax: (907) 563-4565
GoSeawolves.com

UAA men host pair with Saint Leo

The Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball team (3-5) makes its Wells Fargo Sports Complex season debut Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 16 and 17, when its hosts Saint Leo in a pair of 7 p.m. tip-offs. Get complete details in the weekly release, including radio, television and internet coverage.

Magden game-high 23 points in ASU loss

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Virginia Union shot 54.5 percent for the game and escaped Christenberry Fieldhouse with a 70-68 victory over third-ranked Augusta State Saturday in a non-conference matchup.

The Jaguars, who dropped to 3-1 on the season, got a game-high 23 points from junior guard Ben Magden (Williamstown, VIC). Senior center Garret Siler had 18 points, while junior forward Fred Brathwaite added 11. Junior forward Greg Hire booked his first double-double of the season with a season-high 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Kyle Cook paced Virginia Union (4-3) with 17 points, while Gregg Thondique and Brandon Byerson chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.

With the victory, the Panthers avenged last season's last-second loss to ASU at Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.

The loss snapped an ASU nine-game home winning streak and a 14-game non-conference home winning streak. The Jags' last non-conference home loss was on Jan. 5, 2004, to West Georgia.

Virginia Union, which shot 60.7 percent in the second half, led 66-62 before a Siler basket with 2:56 to play got the Jags within two. Brathwaite canned two free throws 30 seconds later to knot the game at 66-all before the Panthers answered with a Brandon Byerson layup on their next possession.

Hire hit a pair of free throws for a 68-all tie with 1:46 to play, only to have Union's Devin Johnson score on a layup with 1:18 remaining for the eventual game-winner.

ASU kicks off its Peach Belt Conference schedule at home on Monday, Dec. 15 with a doubleheader vs. Georgia College & State. Game times are 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., respectively, for the Jaguar women's and men's squads.

Seawolves outlast Bobcats, 71-56

FAIRBANKS (Dec. 13) – Kenny Barker scored 20 of his game-high 26 points in the second half Saturday to help the Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team pull away for 71-56 victory over St. Thomas in the Glacier Classic at the Patty Center.

Sophomore guard Lonnie Ridgeway added a career-high 14 points for UAA (3-5), which won for the third straight time thanks to 56.5 percent shooting.

St. Thomas (4-4), an NAIA program from Miami Gardens, Fla., was led by 19 points from forward Cesar Chavez and 12 points from forward Timothy Cornelius.

Although the Seawolves led through much of the first half, they were never able to pull away and went into the locker room tied 35-35.

St. Thomas took an early 40-37 advantage after the break, but UAA answered with an 18-5 run to take the lead for good. The Seawolves, who also got 12 points (6-10 FG) and six rebounds from center Jeremiah Trueman, were able to extend the advantage slowly from that point to avoid the upset.

Barker, a 6-3 senior guard, finished with 9-of-15 shooting and made 6 of 7 from the free throw line, while also grabbing a team-best four steals. Other big contributors for the Seawolves included Brandon Walker with nine points and eight rebounds, plus fellow sophomore guard Kevin White with eight points and a career-high seven assists.

UAA will return to action Tuesday and Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex when its hosts fellow Division II program Saint Leo, also from Florida, in a pair of 7 p.m. tips.