It was a night to remember.
The 2003-04 version of the University of Alaska Fairbanks men's basketball team became the first squad in school history to win a game in the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament when the Nanooks beat Cal State Bakersfield Friday night in the first round of the West Regional Tournament, 91-82. The victory also ties the UAF record for most victories in a season with 22. Al Svenningson led the 1975-76 Nanooks to a 22-6 overall record.
The eight-team tournament runs through Monday, January 15 at Cal State San Bernardino.
Brad Oleson scored a season- and career-high 36 points Friday night to lead the Nanooks. Oleson, an all-region and all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year selection, had 22 of his points in the first half as the Nanooks took a 49-45 halftime lead to the locker room. He was seven-for-seven from three-point range in the game and 11 of 16 overall.
The Nanooks, the No. 5 seed, improved to 22-6 and advance to the semifinals on Saturday night, March 13 at 7 p.m. to face Cal State San Bernardino. The CSUB Coyotes knocked off Chico State, 92-60, in the opening day finale.
Chris Smith scored 10 points in the second half and Norris Crawford added 12 in the same period as the Nanooks fended off several late rallies by the Roadrunners.
Eddie Shelby led the Roadrunners, now 22-6, with 22 points. Fred Nichols finished with 19.
Alaska-Fairbanks shot 55 percent in the second half (16 of 29) while the Roadrunners were 13 of 29 and just two of 12 from three-point range.
In other West Regional Tournament action, Humboldt State knocked off Cal Poly Pomona, 86-83; BYU-Hawaii beat Alaska Anchorage, 67-61. That sets up the quarterfinals as Humboldt State (25-5) facing BYU-Hawaii (23-5) at 4 p.m. AST and Alaska Fairbanks (22-6) taking on host Cal State San Bernardino (26-2) at 6:30 p.m.
For more tournament information, click on www.ncaasports.com
