Trailing by two with six seconds to play, Alaska Fairbanks guard Abdullahi Mohamed missed a layup and Jordan Kanoe wasn’t able to connect on the follow shot as Western Oregon escaped with a 61-59 win in Monmouth, Oregon on Saturday.
The Nanooks (7-10 overall, 1-7 GNAC) held a lead of six at 29-23 before the Wolves closed out the first period with a 3-pointer by Carson Frincke and a layup by Cameron Benzel to trim the UAF lead to one at 29-28.
But last tied at 39-39 on a Mohammed layup with 14:01 to play, Western Oregon (7-9, 4-5) went on a 13-5 run over the next six minutes and never relinquished the lead.
The Wolves found themselves in foul trouble with starting guards Jahville Collins and Daisone Hughes both starting the second half with three personals. And though Cameron Benzel surpassed his teammates by collecting his second, third and fourth fouls in a stretch of 1:05, UAF wasn’t able to exploit that liability. Ultimately, only reserve forward John Morrill-Keeler, who had five points, was sent to the bench with five fouls.
Meanwhile, Benzel was the high scorer for the Wolves with 15 points while Collins and Hughes combined for 12 points and nine rebounds.
Tyler Mrus topped UAF’s offensive output with 16 points, while Paul Johnson added 13.
The UAF men will be back home for the first of two rivalry showdowns with the University of Alaska Anchorage on Saturday at 1:15 p.m. at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium. The early tipoff time is because the Nanooks and Seawolves hockey teams will take the ice in the final game of the Governor’s Cup at the Carlson Center at 7:07 that night.