By: Jenessa Gladstone
Box Score
Burnaby, BC- The Simon Fraser University men's basketball team could not win their second straight on Saturday night, losing to the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, 86-66.
“We got a little complacent,” said Elijah Matthews (Washington, DC). “We had the energy but we were overworking ourselves for no reason at times.”
Matthews led SFU with 12 points in the game.
Two other Clan members hit double digits as Matt Raivio (Vancouver, WA) scored 11 and Keegan Dunlop (St. Catherines, ON) added 10.
Liam Gibcus and Kyle Fossman led UAA's scorers with 16 points apiece.
The Clan bench outscored Anchorage 31-23 while Alaska outscored SFU in the paint, 32-18.
SFU took the initial lead over UAA as the Seawolves trailed the Clan early in the first half when the home side jumped out to a 4-0 lead.
With 11:49 to play until halftime, the Seawolves tied the game at 18 but the Clan took the lead back when Matthews made two free throws that came thanks to a technical foul assessed to the UAA bench.
The Clan took a 25-18 lead minutes later but UAA took the lead back after going on a 14-0 run.
Simon Fraser cut that lead to 10 as heading into the locker rooms, Anchorage led 44-34.
The Clan could not make a dent in the Alaska Anchorage lead in the second half, suffering the 20 point defeat.
“Playing at home gives us more confidence. We had a great crowd here tonight and we know our fans are behind us. If they keep supporting us we won't let them down,” finished Matthews.
The loss to fourth place UAA drops SFU's record to 6-11 on the season and 1-8 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
Continuing their four game home stand, SFU will face the Seattle Pacific University Falcons on Thursday, January 31 at 5:15 p.m.
The game is the first half of a double header in the West Gym that day as the SFU women will take on the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves women's team at 7:30 p.m.
In between the two games, the SFU men's soccer team will receive their 2012 NCAA West Region Championship rings in a special halftime ceremony.
