A team-record 15 3-pointers in the first half carried the UAA men’s basketball team to a 92-81 victory Thursday over Saint Martin’s.
Six players scored in double figures, sophomore Tobin Karlberg poured in a career-high 22 points to go with a career-high nine rebounds and junior DeAndre Osuigwe racked up 12 points and 11 assists to lift the Seawolves to their third straight win.
Playing in front of an Alaska Airlines Center crowd of 1,025, UAA charged to a 59-41 halftime lead behind 15-of-21 3-point shooting. Tyrus Hosley was 4 of 6 from behind the arc, Karlberg was 3 of 4 and Niko Bevens was 3 of 5 as the Seawolves set a program record for the most triples in a half.
“Our energy and our shot making was terrific in the first half,” UAA coach Rusty Osborne said in a release from the school. “I thought we relaxed at halftime and lost our concentration in the second half, though. Luckily our lead was large enough that we could hold on, but we’ve got to have a better 40-minute effort than we did tonight.”
UAA (14-8 overall, 7-4 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) led by as many as 21 points early in the second half.
Saint Martin’s chipped away until coming within five points, 68-63, on a bucket by C.J. Jennings with 12.5 minutes left in the game. But the Saints came no closer, and UAA spent most of the final 10 minutes ahead by double figures.
Jennings, who finished with 26 points and nine rebounds for the Saints, hit a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left to make it 88-81, but UAA hit four straight free throws in the final 30 seconds, two by Karlberg and two by Oggie Pantovic.
Pantovic finished with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists. Bevens pumped in 16 points and Hosley and Jack Macdonald each added 12.
The Seawolves shot 55.4 percent for the game, including 69 percent in the first half, and took care of the ball to the tune of three turnovers each half. The Saints (4-16, 2-9) had a healthy 35-23 rebounding edge but were hurt by 15 turnovers.
UAA plays again Saturday at 7:15 p.m. against Seattle Pacific. The Falcons (14-5, 10-1) lead the GNAC but saw their 14-game winning streak came to an end Thursday night in Fairbanks.