Tuesday, January 28, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. - The second-half chase begins Thursday.

Three teams - Seattle Pacific (16-4, 7-2), Western Washington (13-4, 7-2) and Alaska Fairbanks (12-5, 7-2) - are all tied for first place in the GNAC men's basketball race at the midway point of the 2013-14 conference season.

Two of those teams face-off in Bellingham as Western Washington hosts Alaska Fairbanks.  It is the first of two big games at Sam Carver Gymnasium this week. 

On Saturday, the two-time defending West Regional champion Vikings host fourth-place Alaska Anchorage (12-8, 5-4) in the ROOT SPORTS Game of the Week. Brad Adam and Dave Harshman will be courtside to call the action for the 9 p.m. contest. 

The UAF-WWU game is one of four on Thursday's schedule.  Seattle Pacific, which is ranked 20th in this week's NABC Division II poll, will try to keep pace with the winner and extend its GNAC 12-game home court winning streak as it hosts Saint Martin's at Brougham Pavilion in a 7 p.m. tip-off.   The Saints were one of two teams (along with SPU's Saturday opponent Western Oregon) to beat the Falcons in the first go-round.

Meanwhile, Western Oregon (10-9, 3-6) will play at Montana State Billings (8-9, 4-5) and Alaska Anchorage heads to Canada to take on Simon Fraser (8-9, 1-8), which snapped a 17-game conference game losing streak last week with a 98-73 win at Northwest Nazarene.

The Crusaders (5-12, 3-6), meanwhile, are idle until Saturday when they travel to Ellensburg for their travel-partner game with Central Washington (9-8, 5-4) led by the nation's top Division II scorer Mark McLaughlin.  McLaughlin scored a GNAC-record tying 83 points in back-to-back games last week.

Saturday's TV matchup will feature the NCAA Division II national team leader in three different categories.

The host Vikings lead in blocked shots (6.3) and also rank seventh in three-point percentage defense (28.1).  Alaska Anchorage ranks No. 1 in both assist/turnover ratio (2.15) and fewest turnovers (8.4).  They also rank second in free throw percentage (80.0) and third in three-pointers (12.8).

Seattle Pacific ranks in the Top 10 in four categories.  They are third in fewest turnovers (8.8) and ninth in field goal percentage (51.1), three-point percentage (42.6) and assist/turnover ratio (1.61).

Alaska Fairbanks, which leads the GNAC and ranks 21st nationally in scoring defense (66.1), is also a Top 10 team, ranking sixth in fewest fouls (15.1).  Western Oregon is 10th in steals (9.5).

CWU's McLaughlin, who is averaging a NCAA Division II best 28.3 points per game - a full two points per game better than last week's leader Roderick Perkins of Erskine - is one of six individuals ranked in the Top 10.

His teammate JB Pillard ranks ninth in field goal percentage (66.0).

UAA's Travis Thompson, who shared GNAC Red Lion Player of the Week honors last week with McLaughlin, ranks fifth in three-pointers made (3.85) and ninth in free throw percentage (89.9).  His teammate Kyle Fossman ranks ninth in three-pointers (3.50).

Two other players are ranked sixth - Seattle Pacific's David Downs in three-point percentage (51.9) and MSUB's Kalob Hatcher in assists (7.1).

Hatcher had 13 assists without committing a turnover in his last game, equaling a GNAC record for most assists with zero turnovers.

McLaughlin's two-game point total equaled the highest two-game total in GNAC history matching Parrish West's 83 points in consecutive games in 2011.  Thompson had 56 points for the second week in a row to earn his share of the Red Lion Player of the Week award.

NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS (Top 30)

Team:  Scoring – 11. Alaska Anchorage 89.1; 12. Western Washington 88.3; 30. Central Washington 85.5. Scoring Defense – 21. Alaska Fairbanks 66.1; 28. Seattle Pacific 66.8.  Field Goal PCT. – 9. Seattle Pacific 51.1; 24. Western Washington 49.3. Three-Pointers – 3. Alaska Anchorage 12.8; 11. Northwest Nazarene 10.2; 27. MSU Billings 9.1. Three-Point PCT. – 9. Seattle Pacific 42.6; 19. Alaska Anchorage 40.3. Three-Point PCT. Defense – 7. Western Washington 28.1.  Free Throw PCT. – 2. Alaska Anchorage 80.0; 28. Central Washington 75.7.  Assists – 13. Alaska Anchorage 18.1.  Assist/TO Ratio – 1. Alaska Anchorage 2.15; 9. Seattle Pacific 1.61; 12. MSU Billings 1.52.  Steals – 10. Western Oregon 9.5.  Blocked Shots – 1. Western Washington 6.3.  Fewest Turnovers – 1. Alaska Anchorage 8.4; 3. Seattle Pacific 8.8; 16. MSU Billings 10.4; 24. Alaska Fairbanks 10.7. Turnover Margin – 14. Alaska Fairbanks 4.5; 20. Alaska Anchorage 4.0. Fewest Fouls – 6. Alaska Fairbanks 15.1; 13. Seattle Pacific 16.0; 22. Northwest Nazarene 16.4.  

Individuals: Scoring – 1. Mark McLaughlin, CWU, 28.3; 13. Travis Thompson, UAA, 22.4.  Field Goal PCT. – 9. JB Pillard, CWU, 66.0; 12. Austin Hudson, MSUB, 62.9. Three-Point FGs – 5. Travis Thompson, UAA, 3.85; 9. Kyle Fossman, UAA, 3.50.  Three-Point PCT. – 6. David Downs, SPU, 51.9; 12. Patrick Simon, SPU, 50.5; 26. Isaac Bianchini, SMU, 45.1; 27. Derek Isaak, NNU, 45.0.  Free Throw PCT. – 9. Travis Thompson, UAA, 89.9.  Assists – 6. Kalob Hatcher, MSUB, 7.1; 15. Brian McGill, UAA, 6.4. Blocked Shots – 20. Kevin Davis, CWU, 2.47.  Assist/TO Ratio – 15. Kyle Fossman, UAA, 3.18; 16. Riley Stockton, SPU, 3.17.  Double-Doubles – 25. Austin Bragg, WWU, 7.

GNAC RED LION PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Mark McLaughlin, Central Washington (G, 6-6, Sr., Bothell, WA – Inglemoor & Tacoma CC) and Travis Thompson, Alaska Anchorage (G, 6-1, Jr., Anchorage, AK) ... McLaughlin became just the second player in GNAC history to record back-to-back 40-point games scoring 83 points.   He was efficient in producing 43 points in a 99-94 loss to Western Washington and 40 points in a 96-79 win against Simon Fraser, shooting 68.3 percent from the floor (28-of-41), including 5-of-9 three-pointers.  McLaughlin, who leads Division II in scoring averaging 28.3 points per game, also made 22-of-26 free throws, extending his streak of foul shots made to 42 before missing late in Thursday’s contest ... For the second straight week, Thompson scored 56 points in a pair of contests increasing his career total to 1,004 and becoming the 58th player in GNAC history to reach 1,000.  He had 29 points in a 92-58 win at Western Oregon and 27 in a 79-78 victory at Saint Martin’s.   In the latter game, he also drew a charge with seven seconds left to secure the win.  Thompson, who had six rebounds, five assists and a team-high four steals, shot 59.3 percent from the floor (16-of-27), 52.6 percent from the arc (10-of-19) and 93.3 percent from the foul line (14-of-15).

HONORABLE MENTION: Kevin Rima, Northwest Nazarene (F, 6-6, Jr., Fairbanks, AK – Hutchinson) scored 53 points in a pair of games, shooting 81.4 percent (22-of-27).  After scoring 19 points Thursday against Simon Fraser, he netted a career-high 34 points Saturday against Western Washington on a GNAC-record tying 14 field goals in 15 attempts (see From the Record Book).  He also had eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks against the Vikings ...  Richard Woodworth, Western Washington (G, 6-3, Sr., Bellevue, WA – Newport) had 36 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in leading the Vikings to road wins at Ellensburg and Nampa. Twenty-eight of his points and seven of his rebounds came in Thursday’s 99-94 win over Central Washington as the Vikings rallied from an eight-point deficit late in the first half to beat their arch-rivals ...  Sango Niang, Simon Fraser (G, 6-0, Jr., Paris, France – Chaffey) had 46 points and 12 assists as the Clan split two games.  Niang made 17 of 24 shots, six of nine from beyond the three-point line ... Patrick Simon, Seattle Pacific (F, 6-8, Sr., Ephrata, WA – WSU) scored 31 points, including seven in the game’s decisive second overtime as the Falcons outlasted Montana State Billings 92-87.  It was Simon’s third 30-point game of the season and the fourth of his SPU career.  He also had nine rebounds and all four of the Falcons’ blocked shots.

MORE MENTIONABLES: Andrew Kelly, Alaska Fairbanks (F, 6-7, Sr., Gilbert, AZ – Chandler-Gilbert) had 24 points, 21 rebounds, eight steals and six assists to key two road wins as the Nanooks ran their win streak to five games.  Kelly missed just four shots converting on 10 of 13 field goals and four of five free throws ...   Kalob Hatcher, MSU Billings (G, 5-11, Sr., San Diego, CA – Foothills Christian) had 12 points and 13 assists, registering his second double-double of the season, in a double overtime loss to Seattle Pacific.  The 13 assists came without committing a turnover, matching a GNAC single-game record for most assists without a TO ... Evan Coulter, Saint Martin’s (G, 5-10, Sr., Mount Vernon, WA – Whatcom CC) led the Saints with 30 points, nine assists and five steals in home losses to Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage.  He also had eight rebounds,

FROM THE RECORD BOOK: McLaughlin joined Parrish West of Alaska Fairbanks as the only players in GNAC history to record back-to-back 40-point games.  West had 40 points against Simon Fraser on Jan. 15  and 43 against Saint Martin’s in an overtime game on Jan. 20, 2011.   McLaughlin is the only player in conference history to have more than two career 40-point contests.  He has had three, including 42 against Colorado Christian earlier this season ... The CWU guard also joined Saint Martin’s Jake Linton as the only players to have streaks of 40 or more consecutive free throws made.  Linton accomplished that feat three times (50, 45 and 44) ...  NNU’s Kevin Rima tied the GNAC record for most field goals made with one or fewer misses, converting 14 of 15, including his final 12 attempts Saturday against Western Washington.  Kolton Nelson of Western Oregon made 14 of 15 against Pacific on Nov. 26, 2010.  Kyle Boast of Central Washington was a perfect 14 of 14 against Alaska Anchorage on Feb. 12, 2005.

THE McLAUGHLIN FILE: In addition to setting GNAC records for most career and single-season 40-point games (3 each), McLaughlin recorded his sixth and seventh 30-point games of the season – and the 10th and 11th of his career. Both totals rank No. 2 in GNAC history. Parrish West of Alaska Fairbanks is the leader in both single-season 30-point games (13 in 2010-11) and career (14 in 2009-10 and 2010-11).   McLaughlin is also working on a string of seven consecutive 20-point games.  Only twice this season – in CWU’s season opener against Dixie State (18 points) and Dec. 22 against West Florida (12 points) – has he failed to score at least 21 points.  He shot a combined 25.0 percent in those two games (11-of-44).  In his other 14 games (he did not play against Walla Walla on Dec. 1), he is shooting 51.5 percent.

TEAM NOTES

Alaska Anchorage: For the second week in a row Travis Thompson scored exactly 56 points in his team’s two games.  Over his last four games, he has made 30 of 63 field goal attempts, converting on 18 of 39 three-point attempts. In addition to Thompson, the Seawolves  also got 36 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists from Kyle Fossman on 8-of-14 three-point shooting, and 27 points and 12 rebounds from Teancum Stafford.  UAA’s two wins were the 186th and 187th by head coach Rusty Osborne, making him the winningest coach in school history ahead of Charlie Bruns, who won 186 between 1991 and 2004.  Osborne was an assistant in all of Bruns’ victories.

Alaska Fairbanks:  The Nanooks used a 21-3 game-ending run to defeat Western Oregon 60-56 at Monmouth Saturday and complete a two-game road sweep.  UAF held its opponents to just 103 points (51.5 per game) and a 39.3 shooting percentage (42-of-107) in the two victories.  Stefan Tica, Andrew Kelly and Sergej Pucar had 26, 24 and 22, points, respectively.

Central Washington: Mark McLaughlin accounted for 43.7 percent (83 of 190) of CWU’s offense against Western Washington and Simon Fraser.   JB Pillard had 34 points and Kevin Davis had 21.  Both players had 17 rebounds.  Davis also had four blocked shots.  CWU outshot its two opponents 59.0 to 48.8 as McLaughlin (28-41, 68.3), Davis (10-15, 66.7) and Pillard (14-22, 63.6) all shot in the 60s.

Montana State Billings: Austin Hudson led the Yellowjackets with 26 points and Jonathan Mesghna had 24 in MSUB’s overtime loss to Seattle Pacific.  Mesghna made six of eight three-pointers.  Point guard Kalob Hatcher had 13 assists without a turnover, matching the GNAC record for most assists without a TO set by Luke Cooper of Alaska Anchorage against Eastern Washington on Nov. 24, 2007.

Northwest Nazarene: Four players – Kevin Rima (26.5), Derek Isaak (15.0), Mario Donaldson (12.0) and Michael Loomis (10.5) – averaged in double figures in NNU’s two contests.  Isaak made 9-of-21 three-pointers.  John Van Beuren had a team high 17 rebounds, including nine at the offensive end.  NNU’s two opponents – Simon Fraser and Western Washington – blistered the nets for a 61.2 percentage (71-of-116) including 52.4 percent (22-of-42) from the arc.

Saint Martin’s: Isaac Bianchini made 8-of-17 three-pointers in scoring 25 points in losses to Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage.  Matt Dodson had 20 points and team highs for rebounds (19) and blocks (3).  Riley Carel had 12 points against Alaska Anchorage after sitting out the UAF game with an injury.

Seattle Pacific: In addition to Patrick Simon’s 31 points, the Falcons were led by David Downs with 19 points and six assists and Riley Stockton with 15 points and eight rebounds in its double overtime win at Montana State Billings.   In 50 minutes of action, SPU turned the ball over just four times, just one off the GNAC single-game record for fewest turnovers in a conference game.

Simon Fraser: The Clan had one of the quickest starts in GNAC history making its first 12 shots of the game and 20 of its first 24 in defeating Northwest Nazarene 98-73 and snapping a 17-game conference game losing streak.  In two games, Sango Niang (46 points) and Justin Cole (42 points) accounted for half of SFU’s points.  Niang made 17-of-24 shots, including 6-of-9 three-pointers.  Cole was 8-of-13 from the arc and 16-of-27 overall.  Ibrahim Appiah had 13 rebounds in the two contests.

Western Oregon: Rodney Webster scored 25 points and Jordan Wiley had 22 in the Wolves’ two contests against Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks.  Marwan Sarhan, who had 18 points, and Adam Hastings each had 19 rebounds.

Western Washington:  Austin Bragg, Robert Harris and Richard Woodworth combined for 110 points in the Vikings’ two victories.  Bragg had 38 points, while Harris and Woodworth had 36 each.   Colby Mitchell led WWU with 13 rebounds.  Harris had a team-high six steals.

For more GNAC basketball news, check out the GNAC Weekly report in the RELATED LINKS section.