Scoreboard

#25 'Wolves back on road at NNU, CWU

Men's Basketball UAA Media Relations

#25 'Wolves back on road at NNU, CWU

THIS WEEK IN SEAWOLF BASKETBALL…

Thursday, Jan. 26 — 5 pm AST
Johnson Sports Center — Nampa, ID
#25 Alaska Anchorage (13-4, 7-2 GNAC)
at Northwest Nazarene (9-8, 3-6 GNAC)
&
Saturday, Jan. 28 — 6 pm AST
Nicholson Pavilion — Ellensburg, WA
#25 Alaska Anchorage
at Central Washington (9-8, 3-6 GNAC [1/26 vs UAF])

RADIO: Live on FM-93.7 KAFC

ONLINE VIDEO: Both games free at uaaseawolves.nmtvsports.com

ONLINE AUDIO: Online audio for all UAA men's games is available at GoSeawolves.com in the 'SplashZone' (subscription fee applies).

LIVE STATS: Surf to GoSeawolves.com and click on the 'Calendar' tab on the homepage for direct links both nights.

UAA PROBABLE STARTERS (2011-12 stats)
G—Steve White, 6-0/195, Sr. (6.4 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.7 rpg, .461 FG, .769 FT)
G—Kyle Fossman, 6-0/180, So. (9.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.9 apg, .465 FG, .432 3FG, .867 FT)
G—Travis Thompson, 6-1/195, So. (11.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, 1.5 spg, .489 3FG, .889 FT)
G—Colton Lauwers, 6-3/235, So. (5.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.2-1 A-T ratio, .349 3FG)
C—Taylor Rohde, 6-9/255, Sr. (20.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, .605 FG, .796 FT [86-108])

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS: Northwest Nazarene has been an enigma thus far in GNAC play, going 0-4 at home and 3-2 on the road in the first half of the league schedule … the Crusaders, who attempt more than half of their shots from three-point range (445 of 977), are led by 6-7 Jr. F JB Pillard (15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, .565 FG, .705 FT) and 6-1 Sr. G Anthony Golden (15.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.8 apg, .445 3FG, .844 FT) … defending GNAC champ Central Washington goes into Thursday's game against UAF with the league's highest-scoring offense (84.9 ppg) and lowest-ranked scoring defense (80.9 ppg), with both of those numbers boosted by a 115-107 regulation home win over MSU Billings on Jan. 14 … the Wildcats feature five double-digit scorers, including 6-1 So. G Lacy Haddock (14.8 ppg, 3.0 apg, .528 FG, .432 3FG) and 6-9 So. F/C Kevin Davis (13.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 1.7 spg, .565 FG)

ALL-TIME vs NNU: UAA leads 13-9 (tied 5-5 in Nampa)
   Last Meeting: UAA 85-62 (12/31/11 at UAA)
   Streak: UAA 3 / Notes: UAA is going for its second straight season sweep of NNU … prior to UAA's home 85-62 win on New Year's Eve, the last five games had been decided 10 points or less … UAA leads 12-9 in GNAC meetings (since 2001-02) … first Div. II meeting between schools was Feb. 3, 2001 as members of the Pac West.

ALL-TIME vs CWU: UAA leads 13-12 (CWU leads 8-5 in Ellensburg)
   Last Meeting: UAA 99-62 (12/29/11 at UAA)
   Streak: UAA 1 / Notes: UAA is going for the first season sweep by either team since the Seawolves won both meetings in 2006-07 … prior to UAA's home win last month, the last four regular-season meetings had gone to the road team, with each game decided by five points or less … the teams met for three games last year for the first time, with CWU winning the rubber match in the inaugural GNAC title game in Ellensburg … UAA won 98-93 in 2OT last year in Ellensburg … UAA leads 12-9 in GNAC regular-season meetings … series started in 1978-79 (82-70 UAA win) but did not resume until 1999-00.

TEAM COMPARISONS   UAA   NNU   CWU*
Overall Record     13-4  9-8   9-8
Conference Record  7-2   3-6   3-6
UAA Road/Opp. Home 3-1   2-4   5-4
Points per Game    77.8  77.4  84.9
Points Allowed/Gm  63.0  74.3  80.9
Rebounding Diff.   +5.6  +3.8  1.9
Assists per Game   20.8  14.4  14.6
Turnovers per Game 13.1  14.4  13.8
Steals per Game    7.2   5.5   8.5
Blocks per Game    2.5   1.8   6.3
FG%                .484  .465  .461
3-pt FG%           .398  .396  .337
FT%                .734  .765  .690
*Plays Thursday at UAF

LAST TIME VS CWU, NNU: The Seawolves finished the 2011 calendar with double-digit home wins over Central Washington (99-62) and Northwest Nazarene (85-62), Dec. 29 and 31 at the WFSC … in the first game, UAA posted the largest winning margin for either team in 25 all-time meetings, getting 27 points (10-13 FG, 7-8 FT) and 6 rebounds from Sr. C Taylor Rohde … So. G Kyle Fossman had 17 points (6-10 FG, 3-6 3FG), 5 rebounds and 5 assists, So. G Travis Thompson had 14 points (4-6 FG, 2-3 3FG) and 7 assists, and So. G Colton Lauwers tallied 10 points, 3 assists, no turnovers and a career-high 9 rebounds … Lacy Haddock led CWU with 20 points … against NNU, Rohde had a game-high 17 points (6-10 FG, 5-6 FT) and 7 rebounds on his way to GNAC Player-of-the-Week honors … Thompson added 15 points (6-7 FG, 3-4 3FG) and 5 rebounds, Fossman had 13 points (5-8 FG, 3-6 3FG) and 4 assists, and Jr. G Marcus Jackson came off the bench with 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-2 FT), 4 assists and no turnovers.

SEAWOLVES SWEEP WOU-SMU TRIP: UAA won the first two games of its current 4-game road swing, beating previously first-place Western Oregon (66-55) on Jan. 19 in Monmouth and Saint Martin's (64-54) on Jan. 21 in Lacey, Wash. … So. G Travis Thompson had career-highs of 22 points (7-9 FG, 6-7 3FG, 2-2 FT) and 6 rebounds and Jr. G Marcus Jackson added 13 points (5-8 FG, 2-2 FT), handing WOU its second straight home loss after a 13-2 start to its campaign ... with GNAC scoring leader Taylor Rohde playing only 14 minutes due to foul trouble, the Seawolves got a huge lift from Jr. F/C Liam Gibcus, who came off the bench with 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, no turnovers and a career- and UAA season-high 3 blocks ... UAA's other Aussie, Jr. PG Steve White, added a game-high 8 assists … on Saturday, Rohde had 20 points (6-12 FG, 8-10 FT) and 10 rebounds as the Seawolves beat the Saints and pulled into a tie with WOU for second place at the midway point of the GNAC campaign … UAA also got 12 points (2-3 3FG, 4-4 FT), 2 assists and 2 steals from So. G Kyle Fossman, plus 9 points (3-5 FG) from White to snap the Saints' three-game winning streak … Rohde's performance was his fifth double-double this year, while Thompson added 7 points, 3 assists, 2 steals and no turnovers in 33 minutes … UAA also got a lift off the bench from Sr. F Phillip Hearn as the West High product delivered 5 points and 4 rebounds … the victory snapped a 3-game losing streak for UAA in Lacey.

TEAM NOTES: UAA leads the GNAC team stats in six categories — scoring margin (+14.8), 3FG% (.398), turnover margin (+3.41), assists per game (20.8) and asst.-turnover ratio (1.59) — and ranks second in five others, including scoring defense (63.0 ppg) and FG% (.484) … in the NCAA Div. II national stats, the Seawolves rank in the top 60 in an impressive 15 of 18 possible categories, including No. 2 in both assists per game and asst.-TO ratio; UAA is also 11th in scoring margin, 18th in 3FGs per game (8.6), 20th in 3FG% (.398), 31st in scoring defense and 34th in turnover margin (3.4).

NATIONAL RANKINGS: After two weeks among 'others receiving votes,' the Seawolves re-entered the NABC Division II Top 25 poll at No. 25 this week … UAA was ranked No. 17 in the preseason and stayed in the poll through Jan. 3 … the Seawolves and fellow GNAC squad Western Washington (No. 18) are the only two West Region teams in this week's rankings … here is an abbreviated look at the poll:

NABC Division II Top 25 — Jan. 24, 2012
(UAA & opponents in bold; West Region teams in italics)
Rk Team (1st pl. votes)      Rec.  Pts  Last
 1 Bellarmine (8)           16-1   200  2
 2 West Liberty             16-1   190  3
 3 Metro State              17-0   184  4
 4 Tarleton State           16-1   178  5
 5 Lincoln Memorial         17-1   161  6
 6 Winona State             17-2   157  8
 7 Kentucky Wesleyan        15-2   146  1
 8 Southern Indiana (1)     15-2   140  7
 9 Northern Kentucky        15-2   129  9
10 Midwestern State         15-1   128  13
18 Western Washington       17-3    51  22
25 ALASKA ANCHORAGE         13-4    13  NR
Others West Region Teams Receiving Votes: None
Full poll at nabc.org/coaches_corner/divII

'WOLF BITES: Sr. F/C Taylor Rohde has shown why he was tabbed a preseason All-American by Div. II Bulletin, ranking No. 1 in the GNAC in both scoring (20.0 ppg) and FG% (.605), and standing No. 3 in rebounding (8.4 rpg), just three-tenths of a point behind the leader … nationally, he is 19th in FG, 30th in scoring and 51st in rebounding … the 2010-11 First Team All-GNAC and 2nd-team all-region big man has scored double figures in 14 of the last 15 games (45 of 51 career) after running into foul trouble at Western Oregon last week … his 20 points at St. Martin's was his 18th career 20-plus game, while his 10 boards marked his 30th with 7 or more rebounds … the Arizona State transfer has shot 50 percent from the floor in 12 of the last 13 games, including both last week … Rohde's 25.0 ppg scoring average from Dec. 10-29 marked the first time a Seawolf has scored 100 in a 4-game stretch since Kemmy Burgess had 119 points from Feb. 18-Mar. 4, 2006, and he is on pace to become the program's first 20-point scorer since Burgess averaged 21.1 ppg in '05-06 … the GNAC Player of the Week for the last week of December, Rohde ranks in UAA's career top 10 in FG% (2nd, .611), points per game (10th, 17.4), FT made (9th, 226), FT made per game (4th, 4.4) and FT attempted (9th, 288), plus 11th in rebounds per game (7.1), 13th in double-doubles (9), 21st in rebounds (364) and 24th in points (888) … So. G Travis Thompson has emerged as perhaps the most dangerous pass-or-shoot threat in the GNAC, leading the league with 5.1 assists (36th nationally) and a 3.6 assist-turnover ratio (2nd nationally), and ranking 3rd in the league with a .489 3FG% (11th nationally) and 5th in 3FGs per game with 2.5 … UAA's 2nd-leading scorer (11.3 ppg) has upped his average to 13.6 in GNAC games … with 1.5 seasons now under his belt, the Dimond High product now qualifies for UAA's career averages list, premiering at No. 2 in 3FG% at .465 … Sr. PG Steve White is 3rd in the GNAC assists-per-game stats at 4.6 and 6th in asst-TO ratio (1.8) … with 10 games of 5-plus assists this season, the Aussie currently ranks 8th on UAA's career list with 271, needing 28 more to catch Scott Larrabee (1996-00) and Rick Stafford (1995-97) for 6th place … one of two 4th-year seniors on the team, White owns other UAA career ranks of 17th in FG% (.508), 11th in games played (102) and t-8th in victories (67), getting set to tie Larrabee for 10th on the games-played list Thursday … like Thompson, So. G Kyle Fossman (9.9 ppg) is also averaging two more points in GNAC affairs, averaging 11.9 ppg on .436 3FG accuracy … Fossman ranks among the league's overall leaders in assist-turnover ratio (4th, 2.5), 3FGs per game (10th, 2.2), 3FG% (11th, .432) and assists per game (17th, 2.9) … trailing only Thompson and Fossman's outstanding numbers, So. Colton Lauwers ranks third on the team with a 2.2 assist-turnover ratio … another Dimond grad, Lauwers is also a threat from long range with 22 treys, including go-ahead three-pointers late in UAA's wins over UAF and Simon Fraser … the team's 4th-leading scorer (7.2 ppg) and rebounder (2.9 rpg), Jr. F Abebe Demissie gives the Seawolves another inside-outside scoring threat, ranking 9th in the GNAC in 3FG% (442) and 20th in 3FGs per game (1.4) … Jr. G Marcus Jackson has emerged as another offensive threat for the Seawolves, averaging 7.2 ppg on 50 percent shooting in GNAC games … along with Thompson (.889) and Fossman (.867), the Arizona State transfer is one of three Seawolves shooting over 80 percent from the FT line, making 26 of 31 (.839) … the second Minot State game marked UAA's 63rd victory with 4th-year Sr. G Lonnie Ridgeway in the lineup, ranking him tied for 13th on the Seawolves' career wins list … Ridgeway is also tied for 17th in games played at 91 … the local product from Heritage Christian HS equaled his career-best with 12 rebounds against Minot State on Dec. 3, however he was sidelined with a broken hand in that game and has missed the last 11 contests.

INJURY REPORT: Jr. F/C Chris Weitzel suffered a knee injury in practice Jan. 6 and is out indefinitely … Sr. G Lonnie Ridgeway injured his wrist in the Minot State game and is out indefinitely … Fr. F Christian Leckband and Sr. G Mario Gill are both out indefinitely with hand injuries.

SEAWOLVES FAVORED IN GNAC: UAA was a narrow favorite to win the 2011-12 Great Northwest Athletic Conference title, according to the league's 11th annual coaches' poll, released Oct. 12 … UAA polled in nearly a dead heat with Seattle Pacific, edging the Falcons 95-94 … UAA and SPU tied with four 1st-place votes, while Western Washington claimed the other two … this year marked just the second time the Seawolves have been favored in the preseason poll, with the original prognostication coming true in UAA's Final 4 season of 2007-08.

2011-12 Great Northwest Athletic Conference
Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rk  Team                    10-11 Rec. (Place)  Pts
 1. Alaska Anchorage (4)    24-10, 13-5, 2nd    95
 2. Seattle Pacific (4)     20-10, 12-6, 3rd    94
 3. Western Washington (2)  16-11, 11-7, 4th    86
 4. Central Washington      26-4, 16-2, 1st     75
 5. Western Oregon          13-16, 8-10, 6th    54
 6. Saint Martin's          14-15, 7-11, 7th    44
 7. Montana State Billings  8-18, 6-12, 8th     36
 8. Alaska Fairbanks        8-17, 5-13, 9th     33
 9. Northwest Nazarene      15-12, 10-8, 5th    31
10. Simon Fraser            3-21, 2-16, 10th    12
Note: Points awarded on 11-9-8-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

2011-12 SEAWOLF INDIVIDUAL HONORS
Abebe Demissie
AT&T Jamboree Player of the Game vs Portland Bible, 12/2
Kyle Fossman
AT&T Jamboree All-Tournament Team, 12/3
Taylor Rohde
Carrs/Safeway Player of the Game vs UC Irvine, 11/26
Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament Team, 11/26
AT&T Jamboree Most Outstanding Player, 12/3
GNAC Player of the Week, Dec. 25-31
Travis Thompson
AT&T Jamboree Player of the Game vs Minot State, 12/3
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Players Mentioned

Lonnie Ridgeway

#RS Lonnie Ridgeway

G
6' 3"
Freshman
Phillip Hearn

#22 Phillip Hearn

G/F
6' 6"
Freshman
Steve White

#14 Steve White

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Liam Gibcus

#32 Liam Gibcus

F/C
6' 10"
Freshman
Kyle Fossman

#24 Kyle Fossman

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Mario Gill

#2 Mario Gill

G
6' 2"
Junior
Taylor Rohde

#34 Taylor Rohde

F/C
6' 9"
Junior
Travis Thompson

#11 Travis Thompson

G
6' 1"
Freshman
Chris Weitzel

#RS Chris Weitzel

F/C
6' 7"
Junior
Abebe Demissie

#24 Abebe Demissie

F
6' 6"
Junior
Marcus Jackson

#22 Marcus Jackson

G
6' 2"
Junior
Colton Lauwers

#23 Colton Lauwers

G
6' 3"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Lonnie Ridgeway

#RS Lonnie Ridgeway

6' 3"
Freshman
G
Phillip Hearn

#22 Phillip Hearn

6' 6"
Freshman
G/F
Steve White

#14 Steve White

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Liam Gibcus

#32 Liam Gibcus

6' 10"
Freshman
F/C
Kyle Fossman

#24 Kyle Fossman

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Mario Gill

#2 Mario Gill

6' 2"
Junior
G
Taylor Rohde

#34 Taylor Rohde

6' 9"
Junior
F/C
Travis Thompson

#11 Travis Thompson

6' 1"
Freshman
G
Chris Weitzel

#RS Chris Weitzel

6' 7"
Junior
F/C
Abebe Demissie

#24 Abebe Demissie

6' 6"
Junior
F
Marcus Jackson

#22 Marcus Jackson

6' 2"
Junior
G
Colton Lauwers

#23 Colton Lauwers

6' 3"
Sophomore
G