Men's Basketball | 2/7/2013 9:54:00 PM
Box Score
MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon men's basketball team built a 14-point lead in the first half; however, the Wolves saw Alaska Fairbanks chip away at the advantage as the Nanooks took the lead late in the contest and held on for an 80-77 victory in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest on Thursday night. WOU fell to 9-10 overall and 4-7 in league play while Alaska Fairbanks improved to 12-8 overall, 7-5 in conference action.
Rodney Webster once again led the WOU attack as the guard finished the night 7-of-9 from the field with 17 points while
Andy Avgi added 13 for the Wolves. WOU was strong on the offensive side of the ball throughout the contest, shooting 52.7 percent from the field (29-of-55) and 50.0 percent from behind the line (8-of-16).
WOU led for most of the contest as the Wolves built a 25-11 lead with a little over seven minutes remaining in the first half. Alaska Fairbanks managed to cut the lead to 37-31 at the break as the teams would trade baskets throughout most of the second half.
The Nanooks finally took the lead with a little over four minutes remaining as a 6-0 run gave UAF a 75-71 lead following a three-pointer by Dominique Brinson. UAF would extend the lead to six as WOU would try to mount a late rally to tie the score.
Following an Andrew Kelly free throw to give the Nanooks a three-point lead at 80-77 with two seconds remaining, WOU heaved the ball down the court to Avgi. The freshman had a clean look at a game-tying three-pointer; however, the shot rimmed out and the Wolves fell to the Nanooks for the second time this season.
Brinson led four UAF players in double figures with 17 points as Sergej Pucar added 15 for the Nanooks. UAF managed to shoot 30-of-57 from the field (52.6 percent) and hit 8-of-11 from behind the line in the second half to carry itself to the victory.
Kolton Nelson added 11 points for the Wolves as WOU out-rebounded UAF, 29-26.
WOU will look to rebound from the tough loss when the Wolves host Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 4:15 p.m.
