ELLENSBURG, Wash. - The Nanooks men's basketball team could not fend off a late surge from the Central Washington Wildcats as they fell on the road 76-73. This loss dropeed the Nanooks to 7-11, 4-8 GNAC.

The Nanooks started the game strong offensively, shooting 54.8% from the field and 37.5% from deep, taking a 39-35 lead into halftime. Despite another strong shooting outing in the second half, one more made three-pointer by CWU made the difference in the end as they escaped with the three-point win over Alaska. 

Coleman Sparling felt at home to begin the game, scoring the Nanooks first nine points. After Matt Poquette tied it at 2-2, Sparling packed home an alley-oop, hit a jumper and a three-pointer, making it 9-2 Nanooks only 2:35 into the game. Quickly, the offensive spark was alive for the 'Nooks as they then made it 13-6 on a Abdullahi Mohamed layup and Quin Barnard jumper. Following the hot-start, the Nanooks quieted down and Central made a push. They fought back to take a two-point lead. Central held on to the lead, pushing ahead by as many as four until the 1:03 mark as Koby Huerta hit a jumper to take the lead back, 36-35. Barnard connected on a three with 41 seconds remaining, making it 39-35, and the 'Nooks took that lead into the locker room.

Out of the break, Sparling made it a six-point lead with a layup on a dish from Mohamed. They stretched their lead to nine on a Koby Huerta three-pointer before making it double-digits on another Sparling bucket. That was the Nanooks' largest-lead of the night.

Following the double-digit lead, CWU started their push. They scored the next 10 points, pulling within one at 52-51. Willie Thomas III stunted the run with a jumper, making it a three-point lead. The 'Nooks managed to push it back to six on another Thomas jumper and eventually seven on a three from Sparling, but the Wildcats found their stride in the final two minutes. With 2:10 on the clock, Central tied it at 70-70 before taking the lead with 1:37 left. The Nanooks pulled back within one at 74-73, but two free-throws with five seconds left closed the book for the Nanooks. 

Sparling led the way for Alaska, once again, posting his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. He shot 8-15 from the floor while hitting two three-pointers. Shadeed Shabazz added a dozen points and five rebounds while Quin Barnard and Koby Huerta tallied 11 and 10, respectively. 

The Nanooks now head to Nampa, Idaho for a matchup with Northwest Nazarene on Saturday, Feb. 12.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter, @AlaskaMensBasketball on Instagram, or like the Alaska Nanooks athletics page on Facebook.