Thursday, March 7, 2024
by Evan O'Kelly, Assistant Commissioner For Communications

ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Behind 13 made 3-pointers on Thursday evening at Nicholson Pavilion, No. 6 seed Alaska Anchorage topped No. 3 seed Saint Martin’s 81-76 in the quarterfinal round of the 2024 GNAC Men’s Basketball Championships Presented by Under Armour.

Although the Seawolves came within one made trey of their own GNAC Championships single-game record of 14, they went without one over the final nine minutes as they held tough to upset the Saints. UAA improved to 21-9 on the season with the win, while SMU fell to 21-8 with the defeat.

Alaska Anchorage advances to Friday’s semifinals, where it will play No. 2 seed Northwest Nazarene (17-9) at 5:15 p.m. (Pacific). The two teams split their regular-season meetings, and will be meeting for the second time in the GNAC Championships.

Jaron Williams knocked down 4 of 6 treys in 24 minutes off the bench, on his way to a 23-point performance for UAA. Tyson Gilbert added 19 points, five rebounds, two blocks and two assists, and Dathan Satchell chipped in 15 points. UAA finished the game 13-for-30 from the arc (43.4%) and improved to 14-0 on the 2023-24 season when it makes 10 or more threes in a game.

The Saints were led by 23 points from first-team all-conference guard Kyle Greeley, who made 10 of 15 field goals in 36 minutes. Jayshawn Moore (13 points), Kaden Hansen (11 points) and Myles Samuels (10 points) all reached double figures coming off the bench. SMU shot a sturdy 55.6% overall (30-for-54), including 9-for-18 from 3-point range, but was out-rebounded 34-30 and generated just six turnovers in the game. UAA’s 13 made threes were the most allowed by SMU this season, and UAA’s six turnovers were the fewest generated by the Saints.

A made trey by Hasaan Herrington gave the Seawolves a game-high 17-point lead at 53-47 with 12:17 to go in the game. SMU made a push at a comeback, as UAA went without a 3-pointer after Williams’ connection at the 9:02 mark in the second half. The Saints got it down to a four-point game at 78-73 with 11 seconds to go and again at 80-76 with eight seconds to go, both times courtesy of points by Greeley. UAA made 5 of 6 free throws in the final minute however, sealing their third victory of the year over the Saints.

SMU’s Samuels made an immediate impact off the bench early in the first half with seven quick points, keying a 14-0 run that put the Saints ahead 20-12. The Seawolves responded with an offensive push of their own, using a 10-0 run to reclaim the lead at 22-20. UAA used that momentum to take a 37-30 advantage to the locker room, after shooting 46.7% (14-for-30) across the opening 20 minutes of action.

The Saints battled their way to a 40-40 tie over the first three minutes of the second half, but consecutive threes from Satchell and another by Sawyer Storms pushed UAA back ahead by nine points. In a game that featured eight ties and six lead changes, that proved to be the final time the teams were deadlocked.

GAME NOTES: Thursday was the second meeting between the two programs at the GNAC Championships…UAA beat SMU 80-70 on Feb. 28, 2011 in the only other conference tournament affair between the two…UAA swept the 2023-24 regular-season series between the two…the combined margin of victory between the teams in their two regular-season meetings was four points, as the one-possession game theme surfaced again throughout the quarterfinal matchup…six different Seawolves had at least one made three in the game…UAA’s GNAC Championships-record 14 made threes came on March 3, 2022 against Seattle Pacific…the Saints were without 6-foot-8 center Shakeem Alcindor, whose season averages of 8.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game were missed.