Box Score MONMOUTH, Ore. — Senior forward
Andrew Kelly (Gilbert, Ariz./Justice) put an exclamation point on the Alaska men's basketball team's comeback win Saturday afternoon, slam-dunking a missed shot with 16 seconds left for what became the game-winning bucket, capping a 21-3 Nanooks run for a 60-56 win over Western Oregon at the New P.E. Building.
With the game tied 56-56 and just five seconds separating the game and shot clocks, senior forward
Stefan Tica (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration) attempted a go-ahead 3-pointer with 18 seconds to go, but missed on the front rim. That's when Kelly flew in to rebound the miss and slam it home, giving Alaska (12-5, 7-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) a 58-56 lead.
Western Oregon (10-9, 3-6 GNAC) turned the ball over on its next possession while attempting to pass inside for a potential game-tying shot, throwing it right into the hands of junior guard
Joe Slocum (San Francisco/Communication). The Wolves fouled junior guard Slocum to stop the clock, and he made both of his free throws with four seconds left to give Alaska a four-point lead and seal the game.
Kelly finished with his fourth double-double of the year, scoring 12 points and pulling down a game-high 12 boards. He also had four steals for the second straight game and dished four assists. The senior has scored double-digit points and had at least two steals and two assists in four straight games.
Senior center
Sergej Pucar (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration) led the Nanooks with 15 points. Senior guard
Ronnie Baker (Vallejo, Calif./Communication) scored nine with two assists and a steal. Slocum also had nine points, and Tica chipped in eight with two 3-pointers, his fifth-straight game with at least two treys.
The Wolves were led by Jordan Wiley with a game-high 16 points. Rodney Webster was WOU's only other double-figure scorer with 13.
Pucar started Alaska's big comeback with 7:10 left in the game by being involved in all aspects of the game. The Nanooks trailed by 14, 53-39, and Pucar hit a 3-pointer, then stole the ball on Western Oregon's next possession. Two possessions later he would put in a layup, then grab a rebound on the other end when Webster missed a 3-ball. Pucar had seven points during the run.
The Nanooks held Western Oregon scoreless for 5:08 while they scored 16 straight points to take a 55-53 lead. The Wolves went 0 for 8 from the field during that time and turned the ball over twice.
Western Oregon regained the lead one last time on a three-point play from Wiley, who hit a layup to tie it at 55-55 and was fouled. He made his free throw to give the Wolves a 56-55 lead with 3:01 to play – the last points they would score in the game.
The Nanooks were outshot by the Wolves 43.4 to 42 percent, but they outrebounded WOU 33-29. Alaska also grabbed a season-high 15 steals, though they turned it over a season-worst 19 times as well.
Alaska continues its longest road trip of the season at 7:30 p.m. Thursday with a visit to Western Washington.
