University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Box Score LACEY, Wash. — The Alaska men's basketball team quieted the crowd Thursday and put on quite a defensive performance on live television, allowing its lowest point total in over seven years and recording nine steals in a 64-47 win at Saint Martin's in the ROOT SPORTS Great Northwest Athletic Conference Game of the Week.
 
The 47 points scored by Saint Martin's (6-10, 3-5 GNAC) were the least amount of points allowed by Alaska since Dec. 2, 2006, when it held Golden State Baptist to 36. It was Alaska's lowest total allowed while on the road during the entire 13-year history of the GNAC.
 
The win was Alaska's fourth in a row and second straight away from home after winning at Montana State Billings on Jan. 11. The Nanooks (11-5, 6-2 GNAC) have won seven of their last eight games and have moved into a three-way tie for first place in the GNAC with Seattle Pacific and Western Washington. The Vikings were 99-94 winners Thursday at Central Washington while the Falcons were idle.
 
Alaska limited SMU to 35.2 percent shooting and forced 13 turnovers, resulting in 13 points off giveaways and a 14-2 advantage on the fast break. Senior forward Andrew Kelly (Gilbert, Ariz./Justice) led Alaska with four steals and just missed his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and nine rebounds.
 
Senior forward Stefan Tica (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration) led all players with 18 points. He made four 3-pointers on the night, giving him four straight games with at least two treys and nine total long balls in his last two games. He also added four rebounds, an assist and a steal.
 
Saint Martin's had two players score in double figures, led by Evan Coulter with 13 points. Coulter also had five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Isaac Bianchini added 10 points with three 3-pointers.
 
Alaska had to come from behind Thursday for the win. They fell behind 11-7 5 1/2 minutes into the game, but would go on a 20-3 run to go ahead by 13, 27-14. That run included a stretch of 8:56 in which they did not allow a field goal by Saint Martin's, locking down on defense and only allowing one made free throw during that time.
 
Junior guard Rashaad Allen (Fairfield, Calif./Justice) got all six of his game points during the run with two 3-pointers. Tica had five points in the Nanooks' go-ahead push with one of his four 3-pointers, and sophomore guard Cody Pierson (Twin Bridges, Mont./Computer Science) also added a trey.
 
Alaska led by 10 at halftime, 31-21, and grew that lead to 15 midway through the second half thanks to a quick 6-0 run that included four free throws from senior center Sergej Pucar (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration). Saint Martin's turned the ball over twice and had a shot blocked by Pucar during that run.
 
The Nanooks would put the game to bed down the stretch, going on a 10-1 run during the game's final five minutes to go up by 20 at 64-44 with just 52 seconds left.
 
Alaska continues its longest road trip of the season with a 2 p.m. game Saturday at Western Oregon. The Wolves were 92-58 losers against Alaska Anchorage Thursday.