FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Chaminade University men's basketball team opened the 2015-16 regular season with a 92-90 loss to Alaska Anchorage in the PacWest/GNAC Challenge Friday at American Airlines Court.
Kuany Kuany had a team-high 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Silverswords (0-1).
Oscar Pedroso added 17 points while
Kevin Hu and
Sam Daly had 12.
Corey Hammell had a 24-point, 15-rebound contest for the Seawolves (4-2) while Sekou Wiggs also had 24 points.
The loss snapped the Silverswords' five-game winning streak in season-openers as well as their seven-game streak in regular season openers against non-Division I foes dating back to 2004.
The 'Swords trailed by as many as 18 early in the second half but Hu and
David Ware hit back-to-back layups to spark a 9-0 run to pull Chaminade to within single digits at 56-47 with 13:14 left.
The Seawolves pushed the lead back to 13 at 60-47 but Kuany and Pedroso each hit a pair of 3-pointers and the 'Swords were back in the game, trailing 66-61 with just over seven minutes left to play.
Kiran Shastri's triple with 4:12 left brought Chaminade to within a single point at 74-73. Then down by five with 1:52 remaining, Harper drove the left baseline and powered down a one-handed flush to pull the Silverswords to 82-79, the 'Swords committed a common foul then an ill-timed technical foul. That resulted in the Seawolves making all four free throws to put them up 86-79.
However, the 'Swords refused to go away.
Dantley Walker buried a 3-pointer followed by two Kuany free throws and Harper's old-fashion 3-point play again made it a one-point game with nine seconds left to play. The Seawolves hit two free throws after being fouled then Daly was hacked bringing the ball upcourt to prevent a potential game-tying 3-point shot. Daly made the first then intentionally missed the second as the ball caromed back to him but Daly was unable to get off a shot as the horn sounded.
Chaminade shot 45 percent from the floor to UAA's 38.1 and buried 10 triples to the Seawolves' five. But Alaska Anchorage made 39-of-44 free throws to CUH's 26-of-32 and also out-rebounded them 44-36. The Silverswords, who committed 23 turnovers in their exhibition game against Hawai'i last week, made only 10 against the Seawolves. Bench points also favored Chaminade 37-11.
The 'Swords conclude the Challenge Saturday against host Alaska.
