3 Seawolves post career-best stats as UAA men’s basketball snaps Quincy’s 3-game winning streak

Career-best efforts by the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Hunter Sweet, Keegan Crosby and Caleb Larsen proved too much for Quincy (Illinois) to overcome as the Seawolves notched an 81-66 win Saturday in the Seawolf Thanksgiving Classic at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The victory was the fourth straight for UAA (4-2), which got 30 points from Sweet, tying the senior’s career high. Crosby, a junior, meanwhile, topped his previous best with a 15-rebound performance. Larsen chipped in eight points with a career-best seven assists. Oggie Pantovic also had a solid outing with 15 points and nine rebounds.

“I thought it was a complete effort for the first 33 minutes, both offensively and defensively,” said UAA coach Rusty Osborne. “We moved the ball well and played a smart game for the most part. There are still some things we need to clean up, but it was a good performance overall.”

The Hawks (3-2) fell behind early and never recovered. They trailed 46-31 at halftime. Malik Hardmon led Quincy with 13 points and seven rebounds. Paul Zilinskas, who added 12 points, was the only other Hawks player in double figures.

UAA plays Hawaii Hilo (4-2), which lost to UAF on Saturday but is the nation’s 19th-ranked Division II team, at 4:15 p.m. Sunday at the Alaska Airlines Center to wrap up the tournament. The Hawks take on the Nanooks beforehand at 2 p.m.

UAF 76, Hawaii Hilo 67

Coleman Sparling dropped in a team-high 18 points and Shadeed Shabazz had 13 points and five rebounds to power the University of Alaska Fairbanks to a win over Hawaii Hilo in the opening game of the Seawolf Thanksgiving Classic.

Abdullahi Mohamed checked in with eight points, eight rebounds and four assists while Willie Thomas III scored six points and snared eight rebounds.

Also for the Nanooks, Koby Huerta and Quin Barnard each had eight rebounds and five assists.

It was the second strong game in a row for Shabazz, a wispy 6-foot-1, 145-pound senior guard. He was sensational in an overtime win over Cal State East Bay on Nov. 20 at The Wolves’ Den in Rohnert Park, California, where he had 40 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

Hawaii Hilo had four players in double figures, led by Donald McHenry, who finished with 20 points.

It was the third straight win for the Nanooks (3-2), who play Quincy (Illinois) at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Alaska Airlines Center, where the Vulcans (4-2) play UAA afterward.