SEATTLE – Owen Moriarty's game-winning basket was followed by a crucial defensive stop as time expired from the Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team that lifted the Falcons over Alaska Fairbanks 56-54 on their home court on Saturday afternoon.
The Falcons and Nanooks were tied with 40 seconds left on Saturdays. SPU worked the ball to Moriarty on the left wing. He drove baseline, spun toward the middle of the lane, and hit a short-range jump shot to give the Falcons a 56-54 lead.
The Falcons still needed a stop on the other end of the floor. The Nanooks had a timeout but chose to play the game out. UAF's Chris Lee settled for a long 3-pointer over SPU's Trace Evans to win the game. He missed. Moriarty grabbed the rebound and the win for the Falcons.
"Tonight's game was very intense, all the way through," head coach Keffrey Fazio said. "Owen made a great play with a lot of poise. Owen is the guy we look to when there are pressure-filled moments. He ultimately got to a good spot in front of the rim and hit a big shot for us."
What proceeded at the end of the game was almost as good as the finish. The Falcons trailed 52-48 with 4:32 to play. From there, the Falcons finished the contest on a 9-2 run. Moriarty found Jaxon Nap under the rim for a layup to cut the Nanook's lead to two. On the next possession, Evans found Nap again to tie the game at 52. SPU took the lead with 1:52 to play when Nap assisted a hook shot from Jonas La Tour. The Falcons set themselves up for a win with assists on three consecutive possessions.
"There were so many good things that took place in the last three minutes of the game," Fazio added. "Our guys had the poise, togetherness, and the resilience to find each other in those big moments. It's hard to think clearly in those situations. Our guys are getting better at finding more stability and proved that in two tough games this week.
The Falcons earned a chance to win with their defensive effort. They held the Nanooks to a 36.2 percent (21-for-58) shooting performance for the game. SPU gained an advantage on the glass, pulling down 36 rebounds to 31 from UAF. The Falcons were great in the paint as well. They scored 36 points in the paint to 16 from the visitors.
"I'm really proud of what we've doing defensively since the break," Fazio said. Honestly, since the break statistically, and from like a game plan standpoint, we asked our guys to do things pretty particular. Executing the game plan is what's serving as well defensively. Our guys work on this every day. I'm happy that our guys are getting rewarded right now with some wins."
Nap secured his fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds. He added a team-high three assists to his stellar night. Evans tied Nap with three assists. La Tour added 13 points with three made 3-pointers. Moriarty added 11 points and made all three of his free throw attempts. Moriarty added five rebounds and two assists.
The Falcons are at home for a stand-alone game against Western Oregon on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.
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