Anchorage Daily News

Senior guard Kenny Barker scored 17 of his game-high 23 points after halftime and sophomore Lonnie Ridgeway of Anchorage added a career-high 13 points as UAA avoided back-to-back Shootout sweeps by topping Louisiana Tech 62-57 Saturday.The victory earned UAA (1-5) seventh place at the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout and helped it avoid tying the 2001-02 squad for the worst start in school history.

Only in 1981-82 have the Seawolves finished 0-3 in consecutive Shootouts.

This season a depleted UAA squad, which lost every starter from last year's standout team, suffered through several early-season injuries that beset the newcomers.

Guard Kyle Gibson led Louisana Tech (2-4) with 17 points, while 6-10 center Kenneth Cooper was effective on the inside with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting.

But the smaller Seawolves outrebounded the Bulldogs 46-32, including a career-high 11 boards from Barker. The 6-2 senior, who redshirted last year after transferring from arch-rival UAF, also dished five assists and sank the game-clinching free throws with eight seconds left.

UAA used its best three-point shooting of the season (9 of 21, 43 percent) to come back from a 30-29 halftime deficit. Sophomore Kevin White sank both of his trey attempts, while Ridgeway and fellow sophomore guard Brandon Walker were both 2 of 4.

Seawolf center Jeremiah Trueman helped UAA significantly on the interior, totaling a season-high eight rebounds and scoring seven points.

The victory was UAA's 47th all-time over a Division I opponent, with 29 of those coming in the Shootout.

UAA is off next week before traveling to Fairbanks for the Glacier Classic, Dec. 12-13. The Seawolves will face Virginia State and St. Thomas (Fla.) in those contests.

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