Exciting Showdown: Old Rivals Clash in Thrilling Home Finale at University of Alaska Anchorage!

This Week in Alaska Anchorage Men’s Basketball

Thursday, Feb. 20 – 7:30 pm AST – Alaska Airlines Center, Anchorage, AK
Montana State Billings (18-10, 9-6 GNAC) at Alaska Anchorage (11-16, 4-10 GNAC)
Saturday, Feb. 22 – 7:30 pm AST – Alaska Airlines Center, Anchorage, AK
Seattle Pacific (14-12, 10-5 GNAC) at Alaska Anchorage

Watch Live: Both games are available for free on youtube.com/uaaseawolves
Live Stats: Check out goseawolves.com/sidearmstats/mbball for real-time stats.
Tickets: Visit GoSeawolves.com to get your tickets.

Promotions: Saturday features Alumni Night, presented by Premera. UAA alumni get in free with a chance for half-price tickets using the code ALUMNI.

Probable Starters for UAA (2024-25 stats)
– G: Tyler Burraston, 6-4, Jr. (13.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.3 apg, .401 3FG, .788 FT)
– G: Dillon Barrientos, 6-1, Sr. (6.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.0 apg, .319 3FG, .591 FT)
– G: Hasaan Herrington, 6-3, Jr. (9.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.6 spg, .480 FG, .757 FT)
– F: Jesse Stines, 6-7, Jr. (5.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.8 bpg, .432 FG, .621 FT)
– F: Bishop Tosi, 6-6, Jr. (11.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, .548 FG, .685 FT)

Home Season Finale: The Seawolves finish their 2024-25 home season with games against rivals Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific. Saturday is ‘senior night’ to honor Dillon Barrientos, Luke Devine, and Sean Evans before the game.

Know Your Opponents: Montana State Billings is on a hot streak, winning three games in a row and going 7-1 since January 23. They are tied for fourth in the GNAC standings, led by Kael Robinson (16.9 ppg) and Jalen Tot (15.9 ppg). Seattle Pacific sits second in the league and is seeking to secure a spot in the GNAC Tournament, driven by Owen Moriarity (14.8 ppg) and Jaxon Nap (11.8 ppg).

Head-to-Head Matchups: Against Montana State Billings, UAA leads the all-time series 51-36, with a 34-7 record in Anchorage. UAA also leads the GNAC meetings with 22 wins since MSUB joined in 2007. UAA leads 42-30 against Seattle Pacific and holds a better record at home (30-13). However, SPU is on a five-game win streak against UAA, winning by narrow margins.

Last Week’s Recap: Last week, UAA faced a tough loss against Alaska Fairbanks, falling 70-63. Bishop Tosi had a solid performance with 10 points and a career-high four steals. Tyler Burraston contributed 13 points, and Hasaan Herrington recorded 10 points and a career-best three blocks. The Nanooks made a strong comeback, shooting well from three-point range.

Team Insights: UAA is ranked in the NCAA Division II top-10 for assist/turnover ratio and scoring defense. They excel in various categories within the GNAC, including being first in scoring defense. After boasting a winning record of 22-11 last season, UAA aims for another strong performance this year.

Player Highlights:
– Tyler Burraston has been consistent, scoring in double figures in 22 games. He is a key player for UAA, leading with 13.1 ppg and excels beyond the arc.
– Bishop Tosi has made an impressive impact, averaging 11.4 ppg and ranking highly in rebounds and field goal percentage.
– Hasaan Herrington has emerged as a well-rounded player, contributing significantly on both ends of the floor.
– Dillon Barrientos ranks well in assists and has shown leadership on and off the court.
– Sadly, UAA will miss Sean Evans due to injury, who had been a reliable scorer for the team this season.

Coaching Leadership: Head Coach Rusty Osborne is in his 20th season and has led the Seawolves to numerous NCAA Tournament bids. He has a history of success, earning various coaching honors along the way and remains a key figure in UAA athletics.

Individual Honors:
– Dillon Barrientos made the Preseason All-GNAC Team.
– Tyler Burraston earned MVP honors at the Hoops In Hawaii Classic.
– Luke Devine and Sloan Lentfer were recognized in the GNAC All-Academic Team.