UAA Athletics

Seattle Pacific uses rebounds, free throws to turn back UAA men’s basketball team

The UAA men’s basketball team opened the new year with an 83-76 loss to Seattle Pacific on Thursday in Seattle.

It was the first conference loss of the season for the Seawolves, who fell to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Seattle Pacific used a strong rebounding effort and a big advantage at the free throw line to win its seventh game in a row and improve to 7-4, 3-0.

Seattle Pacific outrebounded the Seawolves 38-30 and outscored them 18-5 from the foul line. Divant’e Moffitt hit 7 of 8 free throws on his way to a game-high 18 points for the Falcons.

Oggie Pantovic’s 16 points and 10 rebounds led the Seawolves, who also got 15 points from Tobin Karlberg, 10 from Tyrus Hosley and nine from Niko Bevens.

Karlberg, who reached double figures for the fourth game in a row, was 6 of 8 from the field to help UAA outshoot Seattle Pacific, 49.2 percent to 44.4 percent.

But UAA couldn’t hold its own on the boards, giving up 12 offensive rebounds to the Falcons while gathering six of its own.

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UAA led for much of the first half but trailed 38-36 at the half. Seattle Pacific built its lead to 14 points halfway through the second half before UAA trimmed the gap to single digits.

The Seawolves got within five points three times in the final four minutes — including twice in the final 65 seconds — but never managed to make it a one-possession game.

“I thought the difference was the first five to six minutes of the second half," UAA coach Rusty Osborne said in a release from the school. “We got stops but didn’t terminate the possessions. After they stretched the lead on second shots, we lost our offensive discipline for a few minutes. However, we regrouped a battled back to give ourselves a chance.”

The Seawolves are back in action Saturday in Lacey, Washington, where they face Saint Martin’s in another GNAC game.

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