SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team welcomes the University of Alaska Anchorage inside Royal Brougham Pavilion on Thursday evening, where the Falcons earned a tough 64-60 victory over the Seawolves.
"Very gritty," head coach Keffrey Fazio said. "Our defense won us this game, no question. We scored enough points and made some big shots, but our defensive effort and rebounding were the difference. I'm really proud of our guys and the execution of the game plan on that side of the ball. I'm excited for this team to continue to grow. There's so much more we can do and become."
The Falcons struggled offensively in the early stages of the first half. They trailed 18-9 with 9:04 left in the half before things turned around. Two free throws from Jaxon Nap started a 21-10 run to close the half. Mason Landdeck was terrific during that stretch, leading the Falcons with 11 points. He scored seven consecutive points to bring the Falcons to within five points of the Seawolves.
As a team, the Falcons went 6-for-10 during that run. They knocked down three 3-pointers and went 6-for-8 from the free throw line. SPU kept UAA in check over the final eight minutes of the half. The Seawolves shot 3-for-9 and turned the ball over three times. The defensive effort gave the Falcons a 29-28 lead at halftime.
The Falcons took their momentum into the second half. SPU had a 13-7 run over the first 7:03 of the second half. Owen Moriarty led the group with five points, while Trace Evans scored four during the stretch. The Seawolves continued to struggle, shooting 2-for-10 to open the second half. SPU led 42-35 with 12:29 to play.
The Falcons had an answer for every burst of offense from the Seawolves. An 8-2 UAA run was followed by a 9-3 SPU run. The Falcons saw a 53-46 cut down by the Seawolves. The visitors made it down to a two-point game with 10 seconds left. Moriarty sank two free throws with seven seconds left and secured the 64-60 victory for SPU.
Four Falcons scored in double-figures in Thursday's game against the Seawolves. Landdeck was tremendous, scoring a game-high 19 points. He made shots in crucial moments throughout the game.
Moriarty and Jonas La Tour scored 11 points each. Moriarty was 4-for-4 from the free throw line. It was the ninth time this season that Moriarty made every attempt he took from the free throw line in a game. La Tour hit two 3-pointers and grabbed two rebounds.
Trace Evans finished with 10 points. He went 5-for-7 from the field with five rebounds and a team-high three assists. Nap was one point away from a double-double. He scored nine points and pulled down 10 rebounds. It was Nap's ninth game with double-digit rebounds this season.
The Falcons host Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. inside Royal Brougham Pavilion.
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