The UAA men's basketball team rang in the new year a little early. The Seawolves on Thursday night celebrated an 98-93 double-overtime thriller over Central Washington, a big road victory over a nationally ranked opponent that came in their conference opener.
"To come on the road and beat a very, very quality basketball team, we're thrilled," UAA coach Rusty Osborne said in a telephone interview from Ellensburg, Wash.
Casey Robinson, with his parents watching from the bleachers, drilled a 3-pointer as time expired in regulation to tie the game and force the first overtime; the Seawolves survived a late turnover at the end of the first OT when 11th-ranked Central Washington failed to get off a final shot; and Brandon Walker drained a pair of free throws with time running out in the second overtime to put the game out of Central's reach.
Robinson and Walker each drilled five 3-pointers to help UAA (9-3 overall, 1-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference) extend its winning streak to eight games -- a stretch that goes back to the Great Alaska Shootout, where the Seawolves rebounded from a first-round pounding to beat a pair of Division I teams.
The Shootout victories were sweet -- anytime the Division II Seawolves win a Shootout game it's a big deal -- but Thursday's win was even sweeter.
"Oh yeah," Osborne said. "We love the Shootout and we always want to win it, but that's more about personal satisfaction for us and the city and the pride of the city and the school.
"But this is what we play for."
Central won its first eight games of the season before losing to Rollins College at a mid-December tournament in Las Vegas. The Wildcats got back on the winning track the next day with a win over Cal State-San Bernardino, and were 9-1 -- and 2-0 in the GNAC -- entering Thursday's game.
Then they ran into Taylor Rohde and the rest of the Seawolves.
Rohde, UAA's 6-foot-9 junior center, dominated defensively and offensively. He poured in 28 points -- hitting 12 of 15 free throws -- hauled down 15 rebounds, nine of them offensive and added a pair of blocks and an assist.
"He was the dominant force in both overtimes. Big basket after big basket," Osborne said. "He was getting offensive rebounds, putbacks, and early in the game he got the ball on the perimeter some and was able to drive. He played very well and he made his free throws in overtime."
Walker, a 6-3 senior guard, pumped in 23 points and was hot from 3-point range, hitting 5 of 7.
Robinson, a 6-6 senior forward from Manila, Utah, scored 18, 15 of them coming on 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. Among those enjoying the show were his parents, who drove to Ellensburg for the game.
One of Robinson's bombs came on an in-bounds play with half a second left in regulation. The Seawolves got the ball to Robinson as planned and he connected, knotting the score 68-68 and sending the game to overtime.
The game was tied 82-82 after the first overtime. UAA went up by about seven in the second overtime, Central whittled it down to three, and then Walker sank his free throws to cement the win.
UAA has today off and resumes conference play Saturday against Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho. The game begins at 5:30 p.m. AST.
Find Beth Bragg online at adn.com/contact/bbragg or call 257-4335.
UAA (98) -- Rohde, 8-14 12-15 28; Walker, 8-15 2-2 23; Robinson,C. 5-11 3-4 18; Ridgeway, 3-7 1-1 7; Gill, 2-2 2-4 7; Robinson,D. 1-1 4-7 6; Thompson, 1-1 0-0 3; White, 1-2 1-2 3; Peterson, 1-4 1-2 3. Totals 30-57 26-37 98.
CENTRAL WASHINGTON (93) -- Sprinker, 8-15 5-7 23; Berry, 6-14 4-7 18; Perez, 6-16 0-1 15; Scott, 4-8 2-2 12; Johnson, 3-8 0-0 7; Harris, 3-10 0-0 6; Gibler, 3-4 0-0 6; Clyde, 3-5 0-0 6. Totals 36-80 11-17 93.
UAA 35 33 14 16 -- 98
CWU 27 41 14 11 -- 93
3-point goals -- UAA, 12-19 (C. Robinson, 5-9; Walker, 5-7; Gill, 1-1; Thompson, 1-1; White, 0-1); Central Washington, 10-28 (Perez, 3-11; Berry, 2-5; Scott, 2-4; Sprinker, 2-3; Johnson, 1-3; Harris, 0-2). Fouled out -- UAA, None, Central Washington, Clyde; Harris; Berry. Rebounds -- UAA, 41 (Rohde, 15), Central Washington, 35 (Perez, 7). Assists -- UAA, 16 (White, 6); Central Washington, 11 (Scott, 3; Perez, 3). Steals -- UAA, 4; Central Washington, 7 (Harris, 3). Blocks -- UAA, 2 (Rohde, 2); Central Washington, 2. Total fouls -- UAA, 18; Central Washington, 30. Technical fouls -- UAA, Walker; team. Central Washington, Perez. A -- 603.
By BETH BRAGG
bbragg@adn.com